Unpaid bills began downward spiral for man who self-immolated in Tel Aviv

Haifa resident was in dire financial situation when he set himself on fire at Saturday night rally

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Moshe Silman, 57, made international headlines when he set himself on fire at a social protest rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night. He suffered third-degree burns over 94 percent of his body and on Sunday remained hospitalized in critical, life-threatening condition.

Moshe Silman (photo credit: via Facebook)

Silman, who read aloud and distributed a suicide note at the rally, wrote that “the State of Israel robbed me of everything and left me with nothing.” Statements from acquaintances indicated that he had threatened to do something drastic for some time due to his financial, personal and health-related troubles.

Silman, a Haifa resident whose father was a Holocaust survivor, ran his own truck-based shipping business until 2002, when he acquired a debt of NIS 15,000 to the National Insurance Institute, which then ballooned dramatically due to late fees.

According to a Haaretz report, Silman was unaware of the initial debt because he had moved his business during the downturn caused by the Second Intifada and the notices were sent to the old address.

Since he was unable to make the payments, his fleet of trucks and business and personal assets were eventually confiscated by the state. His mother, who had acted as a guarantor to his business, transferred her apartment ownership to Silman’s sisters so that it would not be confiscated as well.

An unsuccessful lawsuit for a million shekels against the National Insurance Institute followed several years later. Meanwhile, Silman found work as a taxi driver.

Silman suffered a stroke about 18 months ago, and according to one of his sisters quoted in Ynet News, was hospitalized in Haifa and eventually wound up in a mental hospital. Unable to work or survive on a disability pension NIS of 2,200 a month, Silman essentially became homeless and according to reports, was staying in a friend’s apartment in Haifa whose lease was due to shortly expire. Friends say Silman had nowhere else to stay.

Silman was active in the social protest movement and in social media. His deteriorating condition was known among his friends, as were his threats on Facebook to “do something.”

A Sunday Ynet article said that his circle of friends in Haifa were on the lookout for him during the protest there, not realizing that he had gone to Tel Aviv.