Erez Hershkovitz

August 12, 2003 - Erez Hershkovitz, 18, of Eilon Moreh, was murdered at a bus stop outside Ariel when a teenaged Palestinian suicide bomber detonated himself. Three others were seriously wounded in the attack, which was claimed by Hamas.

Hershkovitz was a member of the IDF academic reserves and had just completed basic training two days before. He was about to resume technological studies.

"He was a very considerate guy," recalled friend Elhanan Weinstein. "He always knew how to find a common language with family and friends. He was quiet and knew how to listen. A hard worker, pleasant and sensitive... I can't believe he's not here. I can't get used to speaking of him in the past tense."

Rabbi Menahem Salomon, the head of Hershkovitz's school, the technological yeshiva at Kfar Avraham, said that Hershkovitz was "a boy who gave everything he had; he was full of life. Everyone loved him very much... He always wanted to help everyone he could, always wanted to contribute to everything, to volunteer."

Erez Hershkovitz was buried at the Eilon Moreh Cemetery. He is survived by his parents, Shoshana and Meir, and eight siblings.