Sgt. Maj. Bar Sivan, 33: Yamam cop ‘full of charisma and charm’

Sgt. Maj. Bar Sivan, 33, an officer in the Israel Police’s Yamam counter-terror unit, from Kochav Yair, was killed on October 7 battling the Hamas invasion of southern Israel.

Bar and his comrades were called up at the start of the attack and sent to the front lines to battle the Hamas onslaught.

He engaged in a firefight with Hamas gunmen at the Sha’ar Hanegev Junction outside Sderot, and was slain alongside fellow Yamam officers Supt. Moshael Shlomo and First Sgt. Dror Altun.

He was buried in Kochav Yair on October 10. He is survived by his wife, Ayelet, his parents, Yaron and Inbal and his sister, Paz.

Bar was born in Kfar Saba and at age 5 moved to the nearby town of Kochav Yair, according to an online memorial page.

He attended schools in Kochav Yair and in Beit Berl. As a child he was active in the scout troops and was also a talented and dedicated judo practitioner, who took part in national competitions. He also volunteered with the Fire and Rescue Services as a teen.

After finishing high school, he enlisted in the IDF and served in its rescue and training division, completing with the rank of major. Following his release, he traveled around South and Central America.

In January 2020, Bar enlisted in the Israel Police, joining the elite Yamam unit where he remained for the next four years, including serving as a deputy team commander.

In a memorial post, Yamam wrote that “Bar had a huge heart, a wide and contagious smile. He was a moral guy full of charisma and charm, a talented chef and a true friend.”

“Bar had an incredible ability to read between the lines, to understand people and to relate to the person in front of him,” the unit added. “A warrior in every fiber of his being, on the judo mat or in the alleys of the kasbah, he was determined and never gave up.”

The Yamam post added that “as a commander, you led with personal example and paternal tenderness, thinking about others before you thought about yourself.”

His relative, Hedva Avraham, wrote on Facebook that a year after his death, “you are missed in every moment, every smile, every family gathering. Our hearts are broken again and again when we remember the person you were — full of love, strength, bravery and endless generosity.”

She wrote that Bar was “not just a brave Yamam fighter, but also an incredible person. Not just on the battlefield, but also in life itself, with your huge heart and your love for Noshi [Ayelet], your family, your friends and everyone you knew. You were always there for everyone, ready to give of yourself without asking anything in return.”

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