Yoel was born in 1930 in Petah Tikva, but moved to Netanya at the age of the three weeks where his parents ran an orchard, which was destroyed during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, leaving Yoel's family nearly bankrupt. He studied in the Biyalik school, where he concluded his studies in 1947. While in High School, Alroy served in the Haganah, and joined the Maccabi Netanya, beginning his career in sports.
