Twelve victims from the Maxim Restaurant massacre in Haifa of three days ago were buried today. The five members of the Zer-Aviv family - Betzalel, his wife Keren, their two children Liran, 4, and Noyah, 14 months, and Betzalel's mother Bruriah - were buried in Kibbutz Yagur this afternoon. Shortly afterwards, the funeral of five members of the extended Almog family began in Haifa: Ze'ev and Ruth Almog, their son Moshe (known as Moshik), and their grandsons Tomer (Moshik's son), 9, and Assaf Shteier, 10.
Irena Sofrin, 38, of Kiryat Bialik, was laid to rest this afternoon, as was Tzvi Bahat, 35, of Haifa. Irena is survived by her husband and two children, who were all wounded in the attack, and Tzvi's 3-year-old son Hadar was critically wounded in the bombing as well. Eighteen wounded victims are still hospitalized, including five in serious or critical condition.
Tzvi Bahat's widow Tova, speaking in a broken voice, made an impassioned plea on Army Radio this morning on behalf of her wounded son Hadar:
"He is simply fighting for his life. Therefore, the first thing I ask from everyone who hears me, is to send a prayer, everyone in his own way, that he should have the strength to overcome. He is a strong boy, and beautiful - so much like his father, and I just have to have him remain alive.
"I so much request from everyone to do whatever he can to request and give him the strengths. This is really the most important thing now."
The couple's other child - daughter Inbar, 6 - was in the restaurant at the time, but suffered no major physical injuries. Tova described the moment of the bombing:
"Tziki had gone to pay, and I was sitting with my back to the cashier. I heard that terrible boom, and I knew right away what it was. The first thing we saw was that Hadar was hurt, and was bleeding. I scooped him up and took the children out; I passed Tziki lying on the floor, but I knew that the first thing I had to do was to get Hadar to an ambulance... I rushed out very quickly, over all the broken glass and all the hell and blood that I saw there, and I waited for an ambulance, and then I gave Inbar to a policewoman, and I went back in to see Tziki... I tried to wake him up, and felt his pulse - but I realized that he was probably dead... A tiny consolation was that he was whole, and as handsome as he always was; I told his father that he would have no trouble identifying his son in Abu Kabir [Forensic Institute]... He was an amazing person, the love of my life! He always understood me, always loved me. Such a dedicated family man, so admired in his field as an honest and professional man, with knowledge of everything... He always knew how to balance between work and his family; he came home every single afternoon to raise the children together with me, and not just a 'Shabbat father.' And that's why it is so, so hard for Inbar. He was such an integral part of her life, and she simply wants him here, not there... It is so hard for me; I just don't understand how I will be able to go on without him, for without him I am really nothing..."
Irena Sofrin, 38, of Kiryat Bialik, was laid to rest this afternoon, as was Tzvi Bahat, 35, of Haifa. Irena is survived by her husband and two children, who were all wounded in the attack, and Tzvi's 3-year-old son Hadar was critically wounded in the bombing as well. Eighteen wounded victims are still hospitalized, including five in serious or critical condition.
Tzvi Bahat's widow Tova, speaking in a broken voice, made an impassioned plea on Army Radio this morning on behalf of her wounded son Hadar:
"He is simply fighting for his life. Therefore, the first thing I ask from everyone who hears me, is to send a prayer, everyone in his own way, that he should have the strength to overcome. He is a strong boy, and beautiful - so much like his father, and I just have to have him remain alive.
"I so much request from everyone to do whatever he can to request and give him the strengths. This is really the most important thing now."
The couple's other child - daughter Inbar, 6 - was in the restaurant at the time, but suffered no major physical injuries. Tova described the moment of the bombing:
"Tziki had gone to pay, and I was sitting with my back to the cashier. I heard that terrible boom, and I knew right away what it was. The first thing we saw was that Hadar was hurt, and was bleeding. I scooped him up and took the children out; I passed Tziki lying on the floor, but I knew that the first thing I had to do was to get Hadar to an ambulance... I rushed out very quickly, over all the broken glass and all the hell and blood that I saw there, and I waited for an ambulance, and then I gave Inbar to a policewoman, and I went back in to see Tziki... I tried to wake him up, and felt his pulse - but I realized that he was probably dead... A tiny consolation was that he was whole, and as handsome as he always was; I told his father that he would have no trouble identifying his son in Abu Kabir [Forensic Institute]... He was an amazing person, the love of my life! He always understood me, always loved me. Such a dedicated family man, so admired in his field as an honest and professional man, with knowledge of everything... He always knew how to balance between work and his family; he came home every single afternoon to raise the children together with me, and not just a 'Shabbat father.' And that's why it is so, so hard for Inbar. He was such an integral part of her life, and she simply wants him here, not there... It is so hard for me; I just don't understand how I will be able to go on without him, for without him I am really nothing..."