Lena Ostrovsky, a vocal coach at the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Jerusalem, is one of the victims of the missile strike in Haifa.
In addition to Ostrovsky, three other people, members of her family, were confirmed dead overnight (Monday) after their bodies were recovered from the rubble: Vladimir Gershovitz, 73, their son Dmitry Gershovitz (42), who lived in Herzliya, and his partner Lucille Jane, a Filipino citizen in her 30s.
The school where she taught eulogized her: “The Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Jerusalem mourns the death of studio teacher Lena Ostrovsky, who was killed along with her family in the missile strike in Haifa. Lena was a wonderful and beloved teacher who nurtured generations of students at the studio with love, dedication, and endless professionalism."
Shaham, the Israeli actors’ organization, issued a statement following her death: “We mourn the tragic death of Lena Ostrovsky, a veteran and legendary vocal coach at the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Jerusalem, who was murdered along with her family in the missile strike in Haifa. For three decades, Lena nurtured generations of actors with dedication, professionalism, and above all a great love for her craft and her students. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, colleagues, the studio community, and all the students, alumni, and graduates who had the privilege of learning from her."
It is believed that the four did not manage to reach the shelter in their residential building. According to the Home Front Command, they were found at the bottom of the building near the stairwell, which delayed the clearing of rubble and access to them.
Although two of the victims were located in the morning, the Home Front Command continued working slowly, assuming the other two might still be alive. Rescue operations were carried out with the help of a crane and engineering machinery, while police bomb disposal experts inside the building worked in parallel to neutralize an unexploded warhead that had not detonated when the missile struck the building.