Son of Vivian and Shimon. Kobi was born in Jerusalem on August 9, 1972. one of five children, a brother to Mordechai, Yossi, Elin and Mor.

Kobi finished elementary school in Jerusalem and continued to the “Youth Village” high school in the city, which he successfully completed. When Kobi was nine, his father died.

Koby enlisted to the IDF on November 26, 1990 and was assigned to the Golani Brigade, he was sent to the officers course, completed successfully and returned to the brigade
After serving duty Kobi served in the army for four more years. Colonel Dedi, who was his commander, testified: “He set up the auxiliary company, a role that required leadership, ability to perform and understand people. he did it in an excellent way … an amazing officer, an amazing person.”
Kobi’s last position was as a company commander, and in 1997, after seven years of regular service, he was discharged from the IDF with the rank of captain.

Upon his release, Kobi joined the police. At the beginning of his career he established the Civil Guard unit in Migdal HaEmek, and was later assigned to the rank of commanding officer in the Special Operations Unit of the Amakim District Police.
In addition to serving in the police, Kobi began to study for a BA in Economics and Management at the Emek Yezreel Academic College. His police commander testified: “Koby was totally invested in the job … He was one of the ‘poisoned’ … he would leave his studies for every minor warning he got .”

Following the wave of terrorist attacks in the second intifada at the beginning of 2002 and after the terrorist attack during Passover seder at the Park Hotel in Netanya, many forces, including the infantry brigade Were recruited on 29 March 2002 preparing towards to the Defensive Shield Operation in Judea and Samaria. After a Short training the brigade was set out for operational activity in Jenin where its members fought for eight days.

Kobi was one of the brigade’s officers, but when he was a police officer he was exempt from reserve service. From the moment he knew about the recruitment he called the brigade commander and demanded to join, he was rejected because he was a policeman. He did not give up, showed up at the conference with his team, was given permission from the adjutancy men and then a new problem arose – he wasn’t issued to any unit, and there was no room for his enlisting. “I said to him: ‘You are a dear man, a real worthy volunteering spirit, but go home, people want in practice officers.” I have not seen him since, and I assumed this is over, after three or four days I met him and asked: ‘Kobi, what are you doing here?’ He says to me: ‘Didi, what do you think, if you throw me through the door I will not come back through the window?’ It turned out that he went home but returned on the next day, he entered with the forces in, as a member in the evacuation platoon of one of my battalions, a division that was a bit problematic, he built the platoon, became their idol … He’s such a charismatic man … “
…”
On the morning of the 27th of Nisan 5762 (April 9, 2002) Kobi fell in battle in Jenin. He heard of a force that encountered terrorists in the heart of the refugee camp and drove there in his armored vehicle to rescue casualties, he was killed during the rescue.

In the unit medal of honor issued by OC Central Command Major General Yitzhak Eitan, he described 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. Thirteen commanders and soldiers fell in the occurring battle. the soldiers of the force encountered, and another force that came to assist in the operation. They 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, friendship and comradeship, the company is awarded a medal of commendation by the OC Central Command. “

Kobi was thirty years old when killed. He was laid to rest at the military cemetery in Migdal Haemek. Left a mother, two brothers and two sisters.

In June 2002, Kobi’s family received a certificate of commendation from the Commander of the Central Command, which said: “For the values ​​of volunteering for a position in combat, the personal example, the courage to rescue the wounded, the friendship and comradeship.”
One of Kobi’s commanders wrote: “The way he was killed characterizes Kobi, with the spirit of volunteering, with the courage and the desire to help people …”

At the Police Studies Center, an evening in memory of Kobi was held in the beginning of 2012 in the presence of family members, the police command, Northern District Police officers who worked with Kobi and friends from the reserve company he served in.

The event organizers wrote: “We can learn from his life and his death so much, learn values ​​and love for the state, take upon us some of his volunteering spirit and admire his heroism.”

Superintendent Shimon, who arrived in YS shortly after Kobi’s death, said: “It was very uncomfortable to enter the unit. You saw that something was broken, you felt that something inside people was functioning differently, speaking differently and acting differently. Kobi was a sergeant, a commander who projected people around him. Kobi remains a symbol … Kobi’s connection to the unit remains and will remain forever. “

Yaniv, Kobi’s cousin, uploaded a 14-minute film to YouTube. The film features pictures of Kobi’s life, descriptions of the battle in Jenin, memorials, farewells and details of the commemoration.

At the base of the police unit in which Kobi served in Afula was built a synagogue named after him: “Ohel Ya’akov.” In front of the synagogue there is a well-kept garden named after Kobi.

In the adjacent main building of the unit, Kobi is commemorated in the memorial wall for the fallen soldiers. A memorial monument was also erected in a gravel plaza at the entrance to the building.

In a public park in Kfar Saba, a monument called “Tears of Heroism” was erected in memory of the 13 fallen soldiers in Jenin. The monument was built by the family of Menashe Haba, a son of Kfar Saba, who also fell in Jenin.

In Migdal Haemek, Kobi’s brother, Yossi, established the “Kol Ya’akov Migdal HaEmek” association named after Captain Ya’akov Azulai, who was killed in Operation Defensive Shield. The organization goal is to perpetuate Kobi’s memory and legacy through bringing hearts together, helping the needy and doing charity.

In addition, the Azulai family established the “Kol Yaakov” Beit Midrash in Migdal Ha’Emek and a Torah scroll was entered in his name and twelve of his friends names who fell with him in battle in Jenin.