Sarah Levy-Hoffman

Apr 7, 2002 - Sarah Levy-Hoffman, 89, of Tel-Aviv was one of 30 people killed in a suicide bombing in the Park Hotel in the coastal city of Netanya, in the midst of the Passover holiday seder on March 27.

On the eve of Passover, the terrorist walked into the dining room of the hotel, located in the center of Netanya, where 250 guests had just sat down to begin the seder. He detonated an explosive device, killing 22 immediately and injuring 140, eight of whom subsequently died. The bomber was identified as a member of the Hamas Iz a Din al-Kassam Brigades, from the West Bank city of Tulkarem, which is just 10 kilometers (six miles) east of Netanya. He was on the list of wanted terrorists Israel had requested be arrested.

Sarah Levy-Hoffman died 11 days after the blast.

Sarah was born in Czechoslavakia. During World War II, she was sent to Auschwitz but managed to survive. In 1949, she immigrated to Israel and settled in Tel-Aviv.

For the past four years, she celebrated the seder with her son and his family at the Park Hotel. Her son was slightly injured in the blast. His wife and three children were in their room at the time and therefore were not injured.

Sarah Levy-Hoffman was buried in Holon. She is survived by her son Menachem and three grandchildren.