Seeking recognition as a terror victim 80 years later
This Saturday, the 18th day of the Jewish month of Av, is the 80th anniversary of the Hebron massacre. Hebron's local Arabs, with a wink and a nod from the British, murdered 67 Jews on that Sabbath, and then the British expelled all the Jews from Hebron to which they were not to return until 1967.Yosef Lazorofsky, 86, survived the Hebron massacre, which claimed the lives of his father, grandfather, uncle and sister. He is one of the few people living today who was a victim of the massacre, and who was old enough at the time to remember it.
After 80 years, Lazorofsky is seeking recognition as a terror victim.
According to Lazarovsky, his parents, who had immigrated to Palestine from Lithuania two years earlier, were among some 70 Jews who had sought refuge in one of the town's buildings. The man who broke in was followed by a group of other knife-wielding Arabs, who began to butcher the occupants.Hmmm.
"They struck my 16-year-old uncle, Yisrael, with an ax and then stabbed him to death. My father got an ax in his throat. My grandfather told me to start praying with him, until he got an ax in his head. His blood covered my face. I fell to the floor and blacked out."
Lazarovsky's mother suffered severe lacerations, but survived.
He said it was "stupid" of him not have sued for recognition as a victim of terror earlier, but that it is not too late.
Following Lazarovsky's request for recognition and financial support as a terror victim, the National Insurance Institute retroactively issued his late father an identity number. However, the Defense Ministry rejected his application, saying the law on victims of terror applies only to incidents that occurred after 1967.
The picture at the top is the Kizelshtein family, which survived the Hebron massacre.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:27 AM
2 Comments:
Hebron to this day is the one of the only four Jewish holy cities without a Jewish majority. The official Israeli foot-dragging, obstructionism and harassment of Hebron's Jewish community has a lot to do with more Jews not living in the city. Nevertheless despite all the attempts to remove them, the Jews of Hebron have set down deep roots. One can only wish them well.
My grandmother survived the Hebron massacre, but I don't think she qualifies for compensation.
Post a Comment
<< Home