The Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion, unveiled a memorial plaque on Sunday for Eliyahu (Eli) David Kay, who was murdered on Chain Street in Jerusalem's Old City a year ago.
The ceremony was attended by the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, Eli Kay's family, United Hatzalah CEO Eli Pollak, Deputy Mayor Chagit Moshe, and city council members.
Eli Kay immigrated alone to Israel from South Africa and studied for two years at the Tomche Temimim yeshiva in Kiryat Gat, before enlisting in the IDF's Paratroopers Brigade. After being discharged, Kay volunteered for the Shomer Hahadash organization and the three months leading up to his murder, worked as a guide for the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
An armed terrorist murdered him on his way to work at the Western Wall, he was 25.
United Hatzalah medics were the first on the scene and today they were donated a new "Ambucycle" (ambulance-motorcycle) by an anonymous donor, in Kay's memory. The Ambucycle was presented to Yoni Ben Shimol, a Hatzalah volunteer who lives in the Old City and was the first on the scene of the attack last year.
Jerusalem Mayor Lion: "Today marks one year to the murder of a young and big-hearted man. We stand here, together with his family, friends, and those who cherish his memory, next to where he was murdered by terrible individuals, to unveil the plaque in his memory. It is sad and painful that life so young was cut off in a moment, just because he was a Jew and a Zionist who chose to immigrate to
Israel. A young and motivated boy, the land of Israel was in his soul, a boy who enlisted in a combat unit and saw military service as holy work, who served with dedication and loyalty to his country and nation. Eliyahu David, your memory will be forever and Jerusalem's stones, on which your name is etched, will also be forever."
Rabbi Rabinovitch added: "This young and pleasant man's good smile continues to float in front of all of us. The name Eliyahu fits him so. Elijah the prophet, who returned the hearts of fathers to their sons and the sons to their fathers. Elijah, who sanctified Heaven's name in his life and on his accent to heaven. The custom is to tell mourners 'May G-d comfort you together with the mourners of Jerusalem.' But the custom is also to say 'In the rebuilding of Jerusalem be comforted,' Eliyahu is not with us today, but his spirit will stay with us."The Ambucycle was presented to Yoni Ben Shimol, a volunteer who lives in the Old City and was the first on the scene of the attack last year.