Avi Boaz was born in Brooklyn on November 18, 1930. He moved to Israel in 1960 and established an architecture firm with his partner, a Palestinian engineer. Avi maintained close relationships with many Arabs in Bethlehem and Beit Jala, strongly believing in peaceful coexistence. Together, the Boaz and al-Arja families shared in family celebrations, and their firm built many homes in the Bethlehem area.
Though Avi lived in Israel for over 40 years, he never took Israeli citizenship and used his American passport to enter Beit Jala. When asked why he risked traveling to the area, he replied, "I'm an American, not an Israeli, and everybody around here is my friend."
On January 1, 2002, Avi was kidnapped at a Palestinian Authority security checkpoint in Beit Jala, where the police apparently did not intervene. His bullet-riddled body was later found in a car in Beit Sahur near Bethlehem. He is survived by his daughter, Idit Cohen.
** The information on this page is part of the 'Yizkor' commemoration project by the Ministry of Defense / the 'La'ad' website by the National Insurance Institute, in memory of the fallen. We strive for accuracy and apologize for any errors. For corrections or comments, please contact us here: https://aaciremembers.org/contact-us/ ***
