Yoram was born on 4 Av 5687, 2 August 1927, in the “nursery” of the Jezreel Valley, near Ma’ayan Harod to Shoshana née Brun and Rabbi Isser Shirai. He spent his childhood in Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv, while his parents wandered looking for jobs. In Tel Aviv, he completed his studies at Talmud Torah Histadrut HaHaredim and continued in Yeshivat HaYishuv HeHadash. In 1943, he moved on to Yeshiva Ponevezh in Bnei Brak. He joined Brit Hashmona’im, and two years later, he joined Lehi.
Due to his underground activity, he had to drop out of yeshiva. He took an accelerated accounting course, finding work in an accounting firm in Tel Aviv. However, his parents found out about his Lehi membership, and his mother implored him tearfully to abandon the movement.
Nevertheless, Yoram stayed in Lehi, training in firearms and field maneuvers. He recruited youth and was responsible for the youth cells in Tel Aviv; in 1947, he assumed this role in Petah Tikva. He also participated in combat operations. He mined roads and rails against British vehicles, the latter taking place on 8 September 1947 near Rosh HaAyin. This time, police in vehicles saw him (both British and Arab), and they opened fire and injured him, as well as his comrade Both were arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, which they began serving in Jerusalem Central Prison. In March 1948, he was moved to Atlit with the other Jewish prisoners, but he escaped on 1 May with a friend.
That same month, he joined the IDF with other Lehi members, and he was assigned to Battalion 89 of the 8th Brigade. He also served in the Givati Brigade for a while, but he returned to 89 to serve under Blond Dov. He was part of the battles of Iraq Suwaydan and Auja el-Hafir. He went to an infantry officers’ training course, and finally in September 1951, he was discharged.
He worked as an accountant, first at a construction company, then for 23 years at Maariv. He was one of the founders of the settlements of Halamish (Neve Zuf) and Ateret in western Samaria. He worked for eight years at Tnuva in Jerusalem, until he retired.
In 1956, he married Hasida Sheinin of Jerusalem. They lived in Ramat Gan, raising five children. Later in life, they returned to live in the capital.
