Son of Israeli woman killed in Berlin attack lights city’s menorah

Or Elyakim's mother, Dalia, died in the truck-ramming attack at a Christmas market; his father was injured and remains hospitalized

By AP and ToI Staff 28 December 2016, 4:52 am
Or Elyakim, whose mother was killed in the attack on a Berlin Christmas market, attends the lighting ceremony of a large menorah at the Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016, (AP/Markus Schreiber)

BERLIN, Germany — The son of an Israeli woman killed earlier this month in a terror attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, lit a candle on a 10-meter (33-foot) menorah at the city’s Brandenburg Gate to mark the fourth night of Hanukkah on Tuesday.

Or Elyakim’s mother, Dalia, was one of 12 people killed when a hijacked truck officials said was driven by Tunisian Anis Amri plowed into the market on December 19. She was buried in Herzliya on Friday.

Elyakim’s father, Rami, was seriously injured and remains hospitalized in Berlin.

More than 1,500 people were at the event Tuesday evening, attended by Jewish, Muslim and Christian religious leaders as well as diplomats and politicians. The annual ceremoney, was heavily secured this year in the wake of the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State terror group.

Israelis Dalia and Rami Elyakim, who were caught up in the attack at a Christmas market in Berlin on December 19, 2016. Rami was wounded and Dalia was still missing two days later (Image from Facebook)

Tuesday was the fourth night of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. The eight-night celebration commemorates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BC after its desecration by a pagan ruler.

Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal of the Jewish Community of Berlin said the city’s ceremonial menorah lighting in the presence of Christian, Jewish and Muslim representatives was a way “to bring light over darkness.”

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