Soccer Dad

A Year Ago Yesterday

A year ago yesterday, (according to the Hebrew calendar) a young man named Chanan Sand placed a wedding ring

into the grave of his intended bride Nava Appelbaum. His bride and her father, Dr. David Appelbaum had been murdered the night before in a terror attack at Cafe Hillel in Jerusalem. Dr. Appelbaum had just returned from the United States and wanted to spend time with his daughter the night before the wedding.
Instead the doctor who often worked to save those wounded in terror attacks and his daughter were killed.
(Five other people were killed that night too.)
In one of the cruelest outcomes of a cruel war against the Jews of Israel the happiest day for two families turned to tragedy. How did those who remember the Appelbaum's respond? Did they go to the streets and shout "Death to the Arabs?" I'm sure there was rage, but that wasn't how Dr. David Appelbaum and Nava Appelbaum are remembered.
With the loss of a gifted physician, a fellowship was created in his memory by Nefesh B'Nefesh and his friends to attract doctors to Israel to continue his work.
The wedding dress that Nava Appelbaum never wore at her wedding was turned into a Torah cover at Kever Rachel (Rachel's Tomb) at a ceremony that established a fund to assist couples who wished to marry but were lacking funds. Also One Family Fund has established a fund for a special room for brides at the Mikve in Har Homa.
Nice articles about the Appelbaums at Dr. Manhattan and Boker Tov Boulder (reprinted from the Jewish Press.)
Crossposted on Israpundit and Soccer Dad.

Posted by SoccerDad at August 31, 2004 5:53 AM