Mar 6, 2008 - Avraham David Moses, 16, of Efrat was one of eight students killed when a Palestinian terrorists infiltrated the Mercaz Harav Kook yeshiva in Jerusalem and opened fire in the crowded library.
On Thursday evening, the yeshiva students - mostly teenagers - had returned from prayers. They were about to begin a party celebrating the beginning of the month of Adar - a month of joy marked by the Purim holiday. Many of the students had gathered in the yeshiva library before the party when the terrorist opened fire, killing eight and wounding 11.
Avraham David Moses, born in Israel, was the son of two Americans who had moved to Israel - Rivka Moriah, originally from New England and his father, Naftali Moses, from Long Island. His parents divorced, both remarried and live nearby in Efrat.
Avraham David was the oldest of two boys from Naftali's first marriage, with Rivka, and had two half-sisters from his father's second marriage. From his mother, Rivka, who is married to David Moriah, he has two half-brothers and six stepbrothers.
Classmates recalled that Avraham David had havrutas (study partners) set up for every hour of the day - even in between classes and before and after mealtimes. Though only in high school, he was already skilled at reading the weekly Torah portion in synagogue. Akiva, a friend, recalled listening to Avraham David lead prayers at the synagogue he attends in Efrat.
"He was a really terrific kid," his stepmother Leah Moses said. "He was very pious and involved in learning, and his identity as an Israeli was very important to him. He was very good with his younger brothers and sisters." Leah continued. "He took very seriously the development of good behavior. He would study about being kind and he would walk into the house and help with the dishes. If we would gossip at the table, he would politely tell us to stop."
At his funeral, Avraham David's father recounted that his son had visited him at home last Saturday. "I blessed you, put my hand on your head and suddenly grasped how much you had grown in spirit. You were not a fighter but a loving person - you loved the Torah and studying the Torah. You ended your life studying the Torah." Avraham David's stepfather, David Moriah, said the boy was "like an angel. He had amazing integrity." His mother, Rivka, said thanks for "the 16 years we had the privilege of raising him, 16 years of purity of heart and honesty."
Avraham David Moses was buried in the Kfar Etzion cemetery. He is survived by his parents, step-parents, brother Elisha-Dan, 11, half-sisters Ora-Dina, 6, and Ayelet, 4, and half-brothers Noam, 4, and Hai, 2.