JERUSALEM—There was widespread mourning and grief around Israel as three victims of a terrorist car ramming at a bus stop in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon were laid to rest. The victims were 6-year-old and 8-year-old brothers and a newlywed 20-year-old rabbinic student.
Asher Menachem Paley, 8, who was critically wounded in the attack in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem on Friday, passed away on Shabbat. His brother, Yaakov Yisroel Paley, 6, was declared dead at the scene on Friday and was quickly laid to rest before Shabbat. The boys’ father remains hospitalized.
The third victim, Alter Shlomo Lederman, was a 20-year-old rabbinical student who had been married for two months. He and his wife were on their way to his parents’ home for Shabbat. Lederman was rushed to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in critical condition, where he succumbed to his wounds. The terrorist, a resident of east Jerusalem was shot dead at the scene by an off-duty policeman.
On Saturday night, the boys' grandfathers stood at the entrance of their home, in clear sight of the bus stop where they were killed.
"Who knew that now a fire had to come and consume these two holy souls, these two flowers?” said Rabbi Shmuel Paley. “ We don't understand why, but we know that G‑d does it himself. All this suffering is not for naught, it has a reason."
The children’s other grandfather, Rabbi Amos Groner was overtaken by grief. "These boys were so holy, so spiritual. We suffered a terrible tragedy, how can we be consoled?" he asked.
The boys' 16-year-old brother, Tzvika, said: "Ushi, Yaakov, every week at this time, you come home with Father. It's a smile on your face, it's the happiness that you are thanking G‑d for sanctifying his name. I was with you during your final moments, now you're in a high place. G‑d will give us the strength to continue.”
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