Emmanuel Yehuda Moreno (Hebrew: עמנואל יהודה מורנו,) (June 17, 1971 - August 18, 2006), was a Lieutenant Colonel of one of the Israeli Defense Forces' most elite units, Sayeret Matkal, who fell in combat at the end of the Second Lebanon War.
Moreno was born in France, to Sylvia and Shlomo Ilan Moreno. With the outbreak of the 6 day war, his parents made their Aliya to Israel, together with Emmanuel, then one year of age. Raised in Jerusalem, Emmanuel studied at the Shalom Hartman Institute, Paul Himmelfarb High School, and Bnei David pre-army mechina in Eli.
Moreno served in Sayeret Matkal for 16 years, progressing through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel, a rank that was personally granted to him by the former head of the IDF Intelligence Division (Hebrew: ראש אגף המודיעין), Major General Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash. As this rank is equal to that of the Sayeret Matkal Commander, a role that Moreno did not fulfill, this was considered to be an exceptional event. The former Commander of Sayeret Matkal, Herzi Halevi (Hebrew: הרצי הלוי), described Emmanuel’s unique character as an IDF combatant: “If the IDF is the best military in the world, and Sayeret Matkal is the best unit in the IDF, and Emmanuel is the best soldier in the unit, then Emmanuel is the best soldier in the world.” Herzi Halevi said this when Emmanuel was still alive. Avi Dichter, Israeli MK and former Minister of Internal Security, who also served in Sayeret Matkal, described Emmanuel as having served in the spearhead of his unit, “an elite force within an elite force” (Hebrew: הסיירת של הסיירת). Through the years, Emmanuel was trained for special operations, requiring an extremely high level of skill and risk tolerance, far beyond that of the “average” soldier serving in Sayeret Matkal. Among other missions, Moreno participated in the apprehension of Lebanese guerrilla leader, Mustafa Dirani, from his home in Lebanon in 1994. He also commanded the rescue mission of taxi driver, Eliahu Gorel, who was kidnapped by Palestinians in 2003 and held in a basement near Ramallah.
Moreno was killed in combat while on a mission near Ba’albek in Lebanon just after the ceasefire of the Second Lebanon War was declared. Moreno's service details are so secret that the IDF has not, to this day, released his photo to the public for reasons of national security. The events surrounding his military career, including the circumstances of his death, are shrouded in secrecy.
Moreno lived in Tlamim, a moshav in the Hevel Lakhish region of southern Israel. Emmanuel, 35 years of age, was survived by his wife, Maya, and his three children. All four of his brothers served in elite IDF units, including his younger brother “D”, who continued in his path and later served in a high-ranking position within the same unit.
Shortly after his death, Emmanuel was awarded with the Jerusalem Conference Award for Jewish Heroism (sponsored by Channel 7). He was also awarded the Begin Prize by the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem for his exceptional contribution to the State of Israel. With the Begin Committee’s decision to award him with the prize, Emmanuel was praised for his outstanding courage and strength of spirit.
Moreno was the highest ranking officer on the reconnaissance mission that took place near Ba’albek. After successfully accomplishing the objectives of the mission, the unit was ambushed on its way back, and Moreno, who was at the head, was fatally injured and died shortly after.
On April 27, 2008, the head of the IDF Intelligence Division awarded Emmanuel with the "Head of Regional Command Citation" (Hebrew: צל"ש אלוף) “for his numerous years of dedication to the security of the State of Israel and his participation in several IDF operations throughout the Second Lebanon War.”
Following his death, Emmanuel's family established a nonprofit organization, B'darkei Emmanuel (In Emmanuel's Way), supporting educational and leadership initiatives for youth in Israel. In 2008, a natural spring in Mevaseret Zion, Jerusalem was named after him.
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