The remains of Ashdod resident Alona Avraham were laid to rest Thursday in an emotional funeral that brought to a close a six-year nightmare.

Avraham was one of almost 3,000 of victims who were murdered in the September 11 attack on the United States by members of the Islamist al-Qaeda terrorist organization.

Alona's mother Miriam was informed a month and a half ago that her daughter's remains had been identified by DNA samples, but asked that the sad news remain private until they arrived in Israel. "We are tired and the conversation alone took me back six years," said her mother in an interview with Ynet, "and therefore we preferred to wait until her remains arrived in Israel and only then inform everyone."

Now at least we have a place where we can pray and visit her.

Victim of a World-Shaking Tragedy

The young woman had been a passenger on United Airlines Flight #175 from Boston to New York when Islamist hijackers flew the plane directly into the southern tower of the World Trade Center, completely destroying the building. A second plane was flown into the northern tower less than an hour later.

Fewer than 70 percent of the victims have been identified by physical remains recovered at the site, which burned underground and smoked above the ruins for more than three months.

The attacks were part of a group of four simultaneous hijackings meticulously planned by al-Qaeda. Two other civilian flights were used as weapons by the terrorists that day as well.  A third plane was flown into the Pentagon, severely damaging the structure. The fourth, headed for the White House, crashed instead in a field in Pennsylvania thanks to the courage of the passengers who rushed the terrorists and prevented the plane from reaching its target.

All seven of the original buildings in the World Trade Center complex were destroyed in the attack, as were a nearby church and the Deutsche Bank Building after the Twin Towers collapsed on themselves and others located nearby.

The attack on the complex was the second of two perpetrated by Islamic extremists. On February 26, 1993 a Ryder truck packed with 680 kg (1,500 lb) of explosives was parked in the garage under the north tower and detonated by terrorist Ramzi Yousef. Six people were murdered and some 50,000 others were left gasping for air in the 110-story building. Six terrorists were later convicted and sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the bombing.

Sad Closure of a Crushing Chapter

The arrival of Alona's remains in a box – albeit placed on a stretcher and draped with an American flag, as if the body were whole – brought the trauma fully back to the family as if it had just happened.

"We didn't really know [at the time of the attack] if she was killed, and we shifted from hope to despair," said Miriam Avraham. "We waited until two at night to find out what happened to her."

She said that the family had sat shiva during the week following the tragedy. "Sitting shiva" is the term used for the traditional Jewish seven-day mourning period in which the immediate family of the deceased sits on low chairs or mattresses on the floor and does almost nothing other than to reflect on the life of the loved one who passed away.

The Avraham family was told to sit shiva for one hour after the funeral, which was attended by hundreds of people, including Ashdod mayor Tzvi Zilker who delivered a eulogy.

Although the heartbreak of that awful day has returned in full force, Alona's mother has found one fragile silver lining at last: "I would go to the cemetery to visit the graves of my mother and father – but my daughter had no grave. Now at least we have a place where we can pray and visit her."