Eliezer Korman

May 5, 2002 - Eliezer Korman, 74, of Ramat Hasharon 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.

Although Eliezer and his wife had celebrated the seder for many years at the Park Hotel, they were not planning to attend this year. However, when the hotel phoned and offered to host them at last year's price, they agreed to "travel to the front". "We mustn't give in to them. We must continue and live without fear," said Yehudit, who was killed in the blast. Eliezer succumbed to his injuries after 39 days in intensive care.

Eliezer Korman was born in Poland, and fled to Siberia with his parents at the start of World War II. After the war, Korman searched widely for his seven siblings in Germany, Austria and Italy. He was never able to establish what happened to his brothers and sisters. He immigrated to Israel, and took part in the 1948 Independence War's Battle of Latrun. Many of his close friends were killed in the war.

Soon afterwards Eliezer met and married Yehudit, and they settled in her home town, Ramat Hasharon. The couple recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Eliezer worked in building and other blue collar trades. His relatives describe him as an enthusiastic, hard worker. "Not long ago there were newspaper articles about the oldest construction worker in the country, a 64-year-old," a nephew, Shimon Milner recalls. "We laughed at that," he said, because his uncle continued to work until the day he died.

Eliezer Korman was buried in Ramat Hasharon. He is survived by his son, Yerahmiel, 49, his daughter Menuha, 46, and five grandchildren.