Noa Alon

June 19, 2002 - Noa Alon, 60, of Ofra, was one of seven people killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a crowded bus stop and hitchhiking post at the French Hill intersection in northern Jerusalem shortly after 7:00 P.M.

The bomber jumped out of a car at the French Hill junction and, as Border Patrolmen on duty at the scene began to approach him, he ran past them toward the crowded bus stop on the eastern side of the road, setting off the bomb he was carrying in a crowd of people. Three Israelis and four others died in hospital. About 50 were wounded by shrapnel that was packed around the explosive, with several in critical and serious condition, including one of the Border Patrolmen who had tried to stop the bomber.

Noa Alon, a kindergarten teacher in Ofra, organized an end-year party for the children. She invited her daughter and two grandchildren to attend the party in the afternoon. They had returned to Jerusalem and were waiting for the bus at the French Hill junction to return to her daughter's home in Ma'ale Adumim, where Noa was to babysit for her two grandchildren. Noa was killed in the explosion, along with her granddaughter Gal Eisenman (5). Her daughter and infant grandson were seriously injured.

Noa and her husband Hanoch were among the founders of Ofra, where they raised their four children. She worked as a kindergarten teacher for many years, and had retired just two years ago.

Noa Alon was buried in Ofra alongside her granddaughter Gal. She is survived by her husband Hanoch adn their four grown children.