The granddaughter of South African olim was stationed at an army base just 5m away from the senseless terror attack in Jerusalem on 27 January, International Holocaust Memorial Day. Seven Jews were killed and five were injured at the site, just outside the Ateret Avraham Shul in Neve Yaakov after the start of Shabbat.
“I had just got off guard duty when I heard shots, screams, and sirens,” says Sara Cohen* who asked not to be named. “I knew that something had happened, and straight away, got dressed in my uniform and bullet-proof vest, picked up my gun, and waited a few more seconds until I heard the base alert that I needed to run to the situation room and report for duty as part of the emergency unit on duty over Shabbat.
“From the situation room, I got orders to join the soldier that was at the guard gate, and then to go on to the roof of the base to join the search to make sure that a terrorist hadn’t infiltrated the base.”
Nine days before the attack, WIZO (Women’s International Zionist Organization) South Africa delegate Harry Rosmarin visited a WIZO day care centre where two twin sisters played. Now, they have lost their older brother, 14-year-old Asher Natan, in the terror attack, the day care centre being a three-minute walk from where the attack occurred.
“It’s frightening to think that we were only about 300m from where the attack took place,” says Rosmarin. “We found it extremely disturbing to think that these helpless little girls could have been exposed to the attack, and in fact, now with the loss of a brother, are going to suffer the aftermath for the rest of their lives, as will the rest of the family.
“Our hearts break for the two little girls and their family,” says WIZO South Africa President Shelley Trope-Friedman.
“When it comes to our national security, Israel has always lived in the shadow of a volcano that can become active at any moment,” says Anita Friedman, the chairperson of World WIZO. “This past weekend, the volcano erupted, with two terror attacks in Jerusalem, in which seven Israeli citizens were murdered, and five wounded.” Victims included a 68-year-old Ukrainian woman and a married couple in their 40s who rushed to help.
A second terror attack occurred near the City of David archaeological site in Jerusalem, in which a father and son were injured. The first attack was the worst committed by a Palestinian against Israelis since 2008, and came in the midst of an escalating week of bloodshed.
“Asher’s sisters are enrolled in WIZO’s M. Helene and Nadine de Rothschild Day Care Center, sponsored by WIZO Germany,” says Friedman. “Over the years, other children in this large family have been cared for and educated in our day care centre. Of course, we came to the aid of the family, and are helping it in every possible way during these difficult times.”
Cohen isn’t a combat soldier but an army social worker, ensuring support for soldiers who come from complicated backgrounds and lone soldiers. However, she was trained to use a gun in basic training, and does guard duty on bases. “I’ve been preparing for situations like these, so when it actually happened, I was ready to react,” she says.
Her mother, also a South African olah, says, “On Friday night, we were waiting for my husband to come back from shul, and my phone rang. We keep Shabbat, but I’ve told my children that if there’s an emergency, I’ll answer the phone. I saw that it was my daughter.
“She told me there had been a pigua [terror attack] just 5m from the base, and she was okay but was on alert in the base. We didn’t hear more from her on Shabbat. However, in shul in the morning, many in our community were aware of what happened and some of the doctors and nurses had been called in to the hospital.”
According to Channel 12 news, the terrorist first shot an elderly woman in the street, then encountered a motorbike rider and shot him, before opening fire on people outside shul.
The first Magen David Adom medic to arrive at the scene, Fadi Dekidek, said, “We saw a woman and four men lying on the street. All had gunshot wounds and no signs of life.”
Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said, “The terrorist shot at everyone he encountered. He got out of the car, and began a murderous rampage with a handgun.”
South African olah Dinah Poyurs, who lives in Jerusalem, says, “I wasn’t anywhere near where the attack happened, but I was at a wedding in that neighbourhood a month ago. It’s always a huge shock when an attack happens in a place where you’ve been before.
“There’s definitely underlying fear that exists within all of us, especially when these attacks are more frequent,” she says. Just two months ago, two bombs rocked bus stops at crowded entrances to Jerusalem, killing a teenager and sending about 20 people to hospital, some in serious condition.
“It was difficult to go from a wonderful Shabbat with my family and friends in Jerusalem to hearing that some people in Jerusalem had lost their family and friends over Shabbat,” says Poyurs. “Tragic events such as this one are an unfortunate reminder of how precious life is, and so I feel that even though the situation can be really scary, it’s important not to let that fear stop you from living.”
Neve Yaakov residents include olim from many different backgrounds such as Russia, Ethiopia, Iran, and English-speaking countries. It’s also popular among young haredi families. The neighbourhood is in East Jerusalem.
South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) spokesperson Rolene Marks says the SAZF “mourns the tragic and senseless loss of life [in the terror attack]. The Palestinian gunman opened fire on Jews leaving the synagogue after Friday night prayers. He was reportedly a member of Hamas, living in Shuafat.
“The injured range from 14 to 75 in age. Celebrations, including fireworks and guns being shot in the air, were witnessed in Jenin and other Arab towns throughout Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza in reaction to the incident,” she says.
“The SAZF calls on the South African government and department of international relations and cooperation to condemn these heinous attacks unequivocally. The SAZF sends its sincere condolences to the families of all the victims for the loss of their loved ones on such an important day for our people and community.”
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies condemned the “vile and inhumane terror attack in Jerusalem”.
“Targeting Jewish people at prayer in a synagogue on Shabbat is beyond horrifying,” it said. “Such acts are the inevitable end product when unadulterated hatred is allowed to run wild. Our thoughts are with the victims’ families, and we wish a quick recovery to those injured.”
South African Jewish community organisations across the spectrum condemned the attacks.
*Not her real name
