Lt. Col. (R) Yaacov Perez

International Fundraising Consultant, French Friends of the Jaffa Institute

Yaacov made aliyah from Morocco to Israel in 1952 at the age of thirteen. In 1957 he joined the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) and served for twenty-one years, retiring with the rank of Lt. Col. Since he left the IDF in1978, Yaacov has worked with many government and non-profit organizations, including the Jewish National Fund, State of Israel Bonds, Disabled Soldiers of Tzahal, and more. He is the Founder of IVOW Canada (Israeli Veterans of Wars). In June 1996, on the occasion of the year 3000 of the city of David and year 30 of the reunification of Jerusalem – the Eternal capital of the Jewish people, he was the Executive Director of the famous event of the Illumination of the Historical Walls of Jerusalem. Yaacov is married to Rachel and they have three sons and eleven grandchildren.