Yosef Gilboa z”l, father of Aza Squarer, passed away on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 in Israel at age 85. Aza and her brother were at his side.

Yosef Gilboa was born in Lviv Poland in 1929 and made Aliya with his family to Palestine in 1936. As a teenager from Haifa, Yosef joined the first settlers of Kibutz Naan and in 1948 became a fighter at the Palmach (“strike forces”), the elite fighting force of the Haganah. During the war of Independence Yosef fought with the Harel brigade taking control of the Jerusalem corridor to allow passage of supplies to the seized city.  His brigade also captured Mount Zion and entered the Jewish Quarter in the Old City.  In 1955 Yosef joined Dead Sea Works as a laborer and in his 20 year career there climbed the ranks of management to become the head of Human Resources. He later held various management positions with Rural and Suburban Settlement Company (Rassco) and Women International Zionist Organization (WIZO). Yosef’s love of books, classical music and movies fueled his adventurous spirit and inspired his abundant global travel over the years. He was a humble man and will be greatly missed by his children, grandchildren and many friends.

The burial was on Thursday in Haifa where the family also sits Shivah. In lieu of cards or other gestures, please consider a donation to the The Israel National Autism Association (www.alutfriends.org/support-us), a cause which Yosef supported.

For those who have contributed to the Squarer family project at the Hadassah school in Uganda we will be naming the playground and athletic field in his memory.

Sincerely,

Ron Squarer