|
|
June 20, 2003/Sivan 20 5763, Vol. 55, No. 43
Israeli terror victims lived in Valley
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
The family of the 7-year-old girl who was killed June 17 by a Palestinian gunman on a road near the West Bank lived in Phoenix for nearly four years.
The Leibovitch family was attacked in their car after leaving a bar mitzvah, said Rabbi David Rebibo of Beth Joseph Congregation in Phoenix, who has been in contact with the family since the incident.
Shlomo and Galit Leibovitch and their children lived in Phoenix until about a year ago, Rebibo said. Shlomo and Galit were Israeli Shulchim and teachers at the Phoenix Hebrew Academy. The victim, Noam, "was a student at the Academy during the wonderful stay of her parents in our community," Rebibo wrote in a June 18 e-mail.
"A gunman fired through the back window of the car as it passed the borders of the West Bank town of Kalkilya, not far from the last exit on the highway at Kibbutz Eyal, which is inside Israel," according to The Jerusalem Post. "Officials said the gunman apparently crawled through a water pipe to get past a cement barricade to the highway." As of press time, there was no claim of responsibility.
Noam Leibovitch was killed by a bullet and her younger sister Shira, 3, was seriously injured and has since gone through extensive surgery, Rebibo said.
"We deeply mourn the passing of Noam who died while protecting her younger sister, Shira," Rebibo said. "As of my last conversation with Shlomo and Galit, doctors are now optimistic about Shira's progress. The same bullet that killed Noam is the one that struck Shira."
Noam's funeral was Wednesday, June 18. Beth Joseph held a special service that morning to say tehillim (psalms) for Shira and the healing of the family.
Beth Joseph is setting up a fund to assist the family, Rebibo said. Call 602-277-8858.
Contact the writer at leisah_namm@jewishaz.com.
|
