Son of Sarah and David. He was born on November 11, 1979 in Ra’anana. A younger brother to Zohar.
Eyal was a very curious and sociable child, who never took anything for granted and developed his own opinions. He attended the “Meged” elementary school in Ra’anana and the “Jonathan Netanyahu” junior high school. In his soul, Eyal was a human being, a spiritual type, honest and open to the environment and people. His love and commitment to friendship stood out and he was the glue of the group. “His specialty was in the many friends he accumulated, he has love fot people,” said one of his friends.
He always swept his friends into arguments. They found him as a fascinating, attentive and energetic conversationalist. “He was a real flower,” said one friend, “very intelligent, a cynical, witty man with a sense of humor.”
Eyal was active in Mahanot HaOlim camps both as an apprentice and as a guide.

Eyal and his father David were very close, especially after the parents divorced and Eyal chose to live with his father. In Eyal’s youth, a strong friendship relationship developed between the two as if they were of the same age. Eyal grew up in a warm, loving and supportive home despite his parents separation.
Eyal graduated Social Studies class in the Ostrovsky High School. His trademark was his long hair and gold glasses. “Eyal always came with his long ponytail pulled up, sitting next to the wall, if I’m not mistaken in the third row, he liked to argue with Tammy, the political science teacher – about everything he had an opinion about,” said his high school friend Michal Grundland. Eyal was the master of debate.

Mayor Nahum Hofree said in his speech at the Memorial Day for IDF Fallen Soldiers in 2010: “Under the cold stone gravestones … our loved ones, who fell in battle … Among the names is Eyal. Eyal Zimmerman of Ostrovsky High School. Eyal, was killed in Jenin. A fine young lad, the backgammon king in breaks. Intelligent, unique to his parents, his friends, and to me, I was then the principal of the school. “
Prior to the army, Eyal worked at Burger Ranch, and from the money he saved he took driving lessons and issued a license. He was very responsible and strict, if he felt he was late – he ran to catch the time gap . He ran well and for long distances. Eyal was very diligent, independent and purposeful.

He believed in peace to the point of pacifism, a left-wing philosopher always ready for a verbal battle. Eyal hated the war, but came to realize that recruitment was an inseparable part of his life and fought to get to a combat unit – to his father’s dismay and even though he was able to serve close to home, since his mother died of a serious illness a few months before his enlistment. He was motivated to serve in the army, his friends said.
Eyal joined the Nahal Brigade on November 26, 1997. He served as a combat soldier in the 931 Battalion, during which he spent long periods in Lebanon. His regular service aroused fears in his father. When he was on vacation, Eyal used to visit his school to meet the teachers, and kept close contact with his classmates.
Yanai, his army friend, wrote in his memory: “I will remember you as the person with whom I had the most interesting conversations, with opinions about everything, I remember how the whole unit ran on the green cap expedition and only you and gill the vice company commander walking behind and talking to each other. “

After his release from the IDF, Eyal worked as a waiter, saved money and went to travel in the usa, he worked there for a moving company, saves more money and went to central america, mexico and guatamala for six month. Then met and traveled with his father in rome before returning to israel.

Eyal, a young intellectual, acquired general knowledge and a broad education from his father. He even knew famous latin sayings, like the saying of “Old Cato,” the Roman senator, besides that I believe that Carthage should be destroyed, and in Latin: “Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam -” destroy Carthage, ” this saying ended every speech he delivered in the Senate. Eyal used that phrase in his conversations.
shortly before his death Eyal began studying psychology and political science.

On March 29, 2002, Operation Defensive Shield was launched, the main purpose of which was to damage the Palestinian terrorist infrastructure and stop the wave of intensifying terror attacks. Eyal was the first to reach his unit on April 1 following an immediate recruitment. It was his first reserve service after his discharge from regular service in the IDF. The infantry battalion went on an operational mission, and eight days of continuous and difficult fighting, fighting from house to house, from alley to alley. In the twilight of the ninth day of fighting, a force from the company’s auxiliary company came into a deadly ambush. It was a battle of heroism, determination, courage and devotion. As a combatant and as the radio man of the auxiliary company commander, Eyal helped to protect his friend Reuven, who was wounded and injured.

Upon the news of his death dozens of friends of the Zimmerman family arrived.

In the Battle of Jenin on April 9, 2002, the anniversary day of the Holocaust, Eyal fell and he was twenty-two years old. He was buried in the military cemetery in Ra’anana. Left behind a father and sister. After his death he was promoted to the rank of sergeant.
On his grave his father chose to engrave the words whispered to the victor of the roman wars: “Sic transit gloria mundi” – This is how the glory of the world passes.
With Eyal were akso killed: Eyal Yoel, Sergeant Major Tiran Arazi, Sergeant Major Avner Yaskov, Sergeant Yoram Levy Rass, Sergeant Major, Ronen Alshochat, Lt. Col. Amit Busidan, Lt. Col. Menashe Haba, Sergeant Shmuel Danny Meislish and Lt. Col. Eyal Azouri.

The unit’s citation given by the OC Central Command, Major General Yitzhak Eitan, describes the battle: “During the fighting in the Jenin refugee camp, as one of the forces advanced towards a house, fire opened from several directions towards the force. In the ensuing battle, thirteen commanders and soldiers fell. The soldiers of the force he encountered, and another force that came to assist in the operation, fought valiantly to rescue their injured comrades until they were rescued. Despite the casualties, the company continued to fight until the surrender of the refugee camp. In recognition of the values ​​of adherence to the mission, courage, comradeship and comradeship, the Company is awarded a commendation medal by the OC Central Command. “

Eyal also received a certificate of appreciation from the brigade commander, Col. Didi (Yehuda) Yedidya.
by his grave, his father gave a eulogy: “A few days ago you spoke to me for two minutes, you said that they brought helicopters – and it only scratched them … You said they should bring airplanes. The father said with pain, “My grandfather brought me to Israel and said that this is a safe house for the Jews, and now it has become …”

In high school Eyal played backgammon during breaks, and in the army he improved his ability to play and was also the company champion. Every year, his father, assisted by Eyal’s many friends at the Ostrovsky High School, holds a backgammon tournament in memory and commemoration. In addition, in Raanana’s municipal library, reference books were donated to commemorate him, and a plaque was placed in his memory.