Tehilla Nathanson

Aug 19, 2003 - Tehilla Nathanson, three, of Zichron Ya'acov was one of 23 persons murdered by a suicide bomber on a No. 2 Egged bus in the capital's Shmuel Hanavi neighborhood.

The attack took place at about 9 p.m. as the bus was making its way from the Western Wall to several religious neighborhoods. The Hamas suicide bomber, apparently disguised as a religious Jew, boarded the bus and detonated his bomb shortly afterwards. Seven of those killed were children and over 130 people were wounded.

The Nathanson family had begun their visit to Jerusalem with prayers at the Western Wall and were on their way to a grandparent's home when the terrorist struck. Mother Chana, 27, father Matanya, 27, daughters Yehudit, six, and Shoshana, six months, were all wounded in the blast that killed Tehilla.

"We were all together," Matanya related from his hospital bed. "Tehilla and Shoshana were sitting on Chana's lap beside me. I remember speaking with my wife and then I woke up on the sidewalk. My shirt was bloodsoaked and all I could smell was burning and charcoal. I couldn't see any of my family.

"Now we have to gather everyone together. It's hard for us to deal with things. But we believe that only the Holy One, Blessed be He, guides the steps of man. Everything happens for a reason."

Tehilla Nathanson was buried in the Yarkon Cemetery in Petah Tikva. She is survived by her parents and two sisters.