Zvi Goldstein

June 20, 2003 - Zvi Goldstein, 47, of Eli, was killed when his car was fired upon in an ambush by Palestinian terrorists near Ofra, north of Ramallah.

Zvi Goldstein was driving to Jerusalem on Friday afternoon with his wife Michal and his parents, Eugene and Lorraine, who had come from New York to celebrate their grandson David's wedding on Thursday evening. They planned to celebrate with a festive meal at the Holyland Hotel in Jerusalem, marking also Zvi and Michal's 27th wedding anniversary and his parents' 50th anniversary. Terrorists opened fire, critically wounding Zvi in the shoulder and stomach, and seriously wounding his parents. Zvi, with the help of his father controlling the steering wheel, managed to drive away, continuing another 12 kilometers until the car overturned. Zvi was pronounced dead. His wife Michal was lightly injured. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

Zvi, a computer specialist and technical writer, was born in Brooklyn, New York, and immigrated to Israel in 1992 with his family. They lived first in Neveh Tzuf, moved from there to Ma'aleh Adumim, and arrived in Eli five years ago. A friend who attended David's wedding said, "Zvi was so happy, he danced at his son's wedding even though he had problems walking due to polio he suffered as a child. It was obvious that this was one of the happiest moments in his life. He was a man of peace and was killed by murderous people of war."

Zvi Goldstein was buried in Jerusalem. He is survived by his wife Michal, his son David and daughter Hanna, his parents Eugene and Lorraine, of Plainview, Long Island, as well as two brothers and a sister living in the U.S.