Esther Kleiman

Mar 24, 2002 - Esther Kleiman, 23, of Neve Tzuf, was killed in a shooting attack northwest of Ramallah, while traveling to work in a reinforced Egged bus.

Esther was on the bus on her way to the Samaria community of Ofra where she worked as a special education kindergarten teacher for Downs Syndrome children. At least one terrorist on a ridge overlooking the Abud bypass road fired at the bus as it passed the village of Umm Safah, near Ateret. A bullet apparently penetrated an unprotected part of the bus above the bullet-proof windows, hitting her in the head.

Esther Kleiman, born in 1979, was the third of four children of Nachman and Ruhama Kleiman, who immigrated to Israel in 1977 from Chicago, and their only daughter. Nachman is a former El Al Arlines spokesman. The family moved to Neve Tzuf about four years ago from Rehovot.

Esther completed high school at Ulpanat Zvia and then volunteered for National Service for two years in the Neveh Sha'anan School for disturbed children in Jaffa, where she worked with both Arab and Jewish children. After completing her service, she studied special education at the Talpiot teacher's college in Jaffa. Esther was quiet and shy, but she loved working with children, her father said, and preferred relating to the youngsters on a one-to-one basis, rather than in a classroom.

Neve Tzuf residents described Esther as a very kind and pleasant person who always had a smile on her face. She worked as a volunteer with disabled and disadvantaged children in addition to her regular job.

Esther Kleiman was buried in Neve Tzuf. She is survived by her parents and three brothers.