Channels

Photo: Shai Rosenzweig
Remember. The memorial
Photo: Shai Rosenzweig

Murdered teens remembered

Annual ceremony marks Tel Aviv beachfront attack that killed 21 people outside dance club

The pain is still there, seven years later: The annual ceremony marking the Tel Aviv terror attack that killed 21 young people in 2001 was held Sunday at the Dolphinarium bombing site.

 

The suicide attack outside the beachfront dance club killed mostly teenaged immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Bereaved parents who participated in the ceremony, held on behalf of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry, expressed their pain, but also some optimism.

 

Mark Rodin from Tel Aviv lost his only daughter Simona, 17, in the attack. He told Ynet that on the day of the bombing they left their apartment together. Simona was out to meet friends at a coffee shop and ended up at the attack site accidentally.

 

“She never went out to a dance club,” Mark said. Simona encountered friends waiting in line at the club and stopped there to talk to them, unaware that the suicide bomber was standing behind her.  


The pain will never dull. The memorial (Archive Photo: Yaron Brener)

 

Mark and Simona’s mother are divorced, but they remained good friends following the tragedy and continued to support each other. Mark also left his job as an engineer and went on to specialize in the field his daughter loved: Ballroom dancing. Eventually, he became a dance instructor.

 

“I want to give warmth and love to people,” the bereaved father said. “I want people to understand that life has great disasters…we must look forward and try to be happy under any circumstances.”

 

Immigrant Absorption Minister Jacob Edery, who spoke at the ceremony, said: “Seven years have passed since that disaster, and the State of Israel continues to cope with brutal terrorism every day and every hour. In order to prevent further terror attacks, the government will continue to pursue the terrorists, and until we achieve peace we shall do everything in order to defend Israel within its borders.”

 

The minister also addressed the former immigrants in the crowd: “Years ago you chose to undertake an important act – make Aliyah to Israel. The immigrant community from the former Soviet Union is the largest in the country and influences all walks of life.”  

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.01.08, 23:22
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment