Avi Barber

Avi Barber was born in 1940 in Netanya

Avraham (Avi) Barber was born and raised in Netanya. He was a member of the HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed youth movement and trained in sailing.

He joined the IDF with a Nahal group and fought with the Golani Brigade on the Golan Heights in the Six-Day War. He then volunteered for flight school and finished as a fighter pilot in July 1970. He flew Skyhawks and later Phantoms, and in the Yom Kippur War his plane was hit over Syria, after which he was held captive for about 8 months.

After his return he commanded Squadron 201 in the First Lebanon War and later Squadron 253, which flew F-16s. He went on to command the Nevatim and Hatzerim bases. From 1996 to 1999 he was air attaché in Washington.

He holds a bachelor's degree from Auburn University and master's degrees from the University of Haifa and Harvard, and graduated from the US Air War College. In January 2000 he became Boeing's representative in Israel, and he taught at the flight school in the reserves until 2011. He is married with 4 children.