Shalom Yohai Sherki was killed in the attack
Shalom Yohai Sherki was killed in the attackIsrael Police

A week after the terror attack in which his son Shalom Yohai was murdered, Rabbi Uri Sherki said at a Memorial Day service on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem that while the death of his son was an unimaginable tragedy, it brought together Israelis of all backgrounds. “Thousands of people of all kinds visited my house. There was a great awakening among all Israelis, regardless of their background, the groups they belonged to, or anything else,” he said.

Shalom Yohai Sherki, who was murdered in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem last week, was on Monday officially recognized by the State of Israel as a victim of terrorism. The 26 year old was initially injured when a Palestinian Arab driver deliberately rammed his car into a Jerusalem bus stop. He was taken to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Another victim, 20-year-old Shira Klein, was seriously injured in the attack. The driver, a 37-year-old Palestinian from Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem, was arrested and interrogated by police. He was later named as Khaled Kutina.

On Thursday night, police announced their suspicions that the "car accident" was indeed a terror attack, with evidence from the scene including the way the car struck the bus stop where the two were waiting strengthening that assessment. Police chief Yohanan Danino later confirmed that the incident was indeed a terrorist attack, ruling out initial suggestions that it had been an accident.

Speaking at a Memorial Day service sponsored by the Almagor terror victims organization, Rabbi Sherki said despite the tragedy, Israelis needed to remain united and optimistic about the future. “Our enemies are seeking to not only harm us, but to demoralize those of us who remain. The murdered, the terror victims, want us to be happy in life,” he added. “I am sure that my son would not want us to run away from life, but to embrace it. For this we need a strong Israel, that will be able to supply the right response to terrorists. That would include,” he added, “the death penalty for terrorists.”