Yaniv Bar-On, the son of Carleen Cohen from Montreal, Canada, and Asher Bar-On (formerly Wayburne) from South Africa, was born in Rehovot. When he was three, the family moved to Maccabim where Yaniv grew up and completed high school in 2004. Later that year he was drafted and was proud to be a soldier in the famous 7th Armored Brigade.
On July 12th 2006, 19-1/2 year old Staff-Sgt. Bar-on and the other members of his tank crew took part in the initial battle immediately following the kidnapping of two IDF soldiers by Hizballah. Shortly after crossing into Lebanon their tank triggered a huge explosive device, killing all the crew. His brother Eitan described Yaniv as a 'good-natured, loving, inquisitive person,' without fear. He is survived by his parents, Eitan and sister Hadass.
