Yehushua was born eighth of nine children, October 10,1919 in Tel-Aviv to Russian born Alter and Miryam nee Pertakovski, from a Shfeya agricultural family.
In the religious house Rabbi Kook was their Rabbi. Grandfather David came from Navaredok Russia 1880. Among the founders of Neve-Zedek neighbourhood, he established its first bakery, later the country’s largest manufacturer, “David Zelivanski and Sons Matzos”.
Yehoshua studied at “Sha’arey-Torah” Yeshiva, Neve-Shalom, later at “Geula” Commercial high-school. He became a Maccabi football player aged 15; after joining Beitar, played ten years for them. When Beitar won the league and Israel Trophy, he received a congratulatory letter from Jabotinsky. He was a member of the “Revolt Youth Alliance” of “Brit-Habiryonim”, and among the first to break the non-retribution policies.
During the 1930s, Yair reached an agreement with the Polish authorities, to establish a “Hebrew Army” which would train in Poland with the intent to liberate Israel. Yehushua met with Chesler – commander of Beitar’s Sergeants’ Course, at the Polish Consulate Ulianizki.
Several Etzel courses took place around Poland’s Tetra Mountains as a result. WWII’s outbreak ended this dream. After the establishment of Lehi he joined with a few friends. Together with his friend “Shmuel” – Yehuda Halevi, he developed explosives which became a Lehi industry, which was a turning point in the fight against Britain, later the Arabs. Experiments were conducted on the rooftop of his parents’ house, 65 Shabazi St ; two tons of these were given to the Hagannah. In 1942 he married Pnina Vechtel, born in Poland, whom he’d met in Beitar. A well-known painter, she’s the honorary president of the “Sculptors and Painters Union” – Ramat-Gan, Givatayim. They have three sons, seven grandchildren.
Yehushua joined the IDF during the Lehi Enlistment parade at Sheikh-Mounis, served in the 82nd Battalion and established the football team of the 8th Brigade . He worked in the family Matzos factory. Yehushua passed away on January 26,2007.
He wrote a book about his family’s history: “Tel-Avi, Tel-Aviv” . Today he creates ceramic sculptures: his backyard contains life-sized sculptures, including those of Finestein, Barazani, Chakim and Beit-Zuri.