Standing By Your Sex-Hobbyist -Man; Because It's Your Fault Too?

Israeli Fathers Find Unique Ways to Remember
Their Children Killed by Suicide Bomber
Children Died March 5, 2003 in Attack on Haifa Bus

(For Contact Information - Scroll Down)

Wherever Yossi Zur travels, he brings back a stone to place on the grave of his teenage son Asaf. Zur, who lives in Israel's northern port city of Haifa, is one of three parents who have found unique ways of keeping alive the memories of their children who were murdered by a suicide bomber.

Asaf, 16, Tal Kehrmann,17, and Yuval Mendellevich, 13, were among 17 people killed on March 5, 2003 when a suicide bomber boarded the bus they were riding and detonated an explosives belt packed with 37.4 pounds (17 kilograms) of explosives. [1] Of the dead, 12 were younger than 21. Another 53 people were wounded in the attack. [2]

Were he alive today, Asaf would be celebrating his 21st birthday on April 27 and finishing his compulsory military service. And like most young Israeli men seeking a respite after three years of regimented life, Asaf would have been planning a trip to an exotic location. But since Asaf, or "Blondi" as his family called him, won't be able to travel the world, his father decided he would bring the world to him.

In January, Zur began asking people of all nationalities across the globe to send him stones in honor of Asaf. He put his request in the form of a letter that he distributed through the Internet. He has since received more than 500 stones from 49 countries and outer space.

Placing stones on graves is an old Jewish tradition that some say dates back to Biblical times when graves were marked with heaps of stones. But a more common explanation for this custom is that stones serve as a reminder someone has visited the grave. And, unlike flowers, stones endure. [3]

Aside from Jewish custom, Zur said he chose stones because, "I wanted to bring back something that's a symbol of a particular place, something that's permanent."

Those who send stones sometimes include messages for Zur or Asaf. Eileen from Pennsylvania sent two stones from India - one bears the word "peace" and the other "strength." A woman named Kinneret sent two stones from the Himalaya Mountains in Nepal; Milena in Sweden sent a stone from the pyramids in Egypt. Zur also received three stones that a contributor named Yoav brought to Israel from Potosi, Bolivia - the highest city in the world.

Lawrence, a NASA employee, and Karen from Illinois sent in pieces of the Allende meteorite, which landed in Mexico in 1969. Sefi, a teacher from California, included letters from her students along with the three stones she sent to Zur.

Zur received one stone from a girl in Israel who had lost a close friend to an illness just before the two were to leave on a vacation in Argentina. The girl brought back two stones, one for her friend's grave. She held onto the other one waiting for the stone's destiny. After she read Zur's letter, she told him she knew the stone was meant for Asaf.

Susan Weissman of Delray Beach, Fl. sent seashells for Asaf. Weissman, who spent almost three decades living in Israel, said that after reading Zur's letter, "I felt moved to tears. I made the small effort…to sympathize and send my prayer that time will heal all wounds."

Now, Zur has the bittersweet dilemma of trying to find a way to fit all of the stones on his son's grave, which is in the shape of a surfboard to reflect Asaf's favorite pastime.

To send a stone to Yossi Zur, mail to: Yossi Zur, POB 7895, Haifa 31078, Israel.

Asaf's fellow passenger on bus No. 37 Tal Kehrmann was on her way to meet friends when the bus was blown up. Like Zur, Tal's father Ron Kehrmann also sought an original way to keep the memory of his daughter from fading.

Tal loved animals, especially camels; her room was filled with stuffed camels. A sign in her room, which she received from a family friend, read "Camel Crossing." Ron Kehrmann recalled that a few weeks before she died, Tal drew a camel in her diary. First, Ron began making memo pads and stickers that contained a replication of Tal's drawing - a sketch that she never had a chance to complete.

In January, Ron Kehrmann reached out to people of all ages around the world to complete her drawing by coloring in a drawing of Tal's camel.

"'Color Tal's Camel' is unique, convenient and reaches all ages, young and old," he said. "One can stay at home and take part in this memorial event and also learn about Tal."

Since Kehrmann began the campaign a month ago, traffic to Tal's memorial Web site has quadrupled and Kehrmann has received more than 300 colored-in camels from children and adults - Christians, Jews and Muslims alike -- in Israel, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany.

Seven elementary and high schools in Haifa have committed to taking part in the ongoing project.

The last words Yossi Mendellevich heard from his son Yuval by cellphone were "Dad! I love you" just before their connection was severed in the explosion aboard bus No. 37.

Yuval and Avigail Leitel, a 14-year-old Christian girl killed in the bombing, had been part of the Children Teaching Children program at the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace, a program that brings Arab and Jewish youth together to learn about coexistence, tolerance and mutual understanding. Yuval and Avigail had been preparing for an upcoming meeting with Arab youth from a town nearby. [4]

Yossi Mendellevich was inspired to begin work on a project in his son's memory after he saw the Families of September 11 Web site, dedicated to raise awareness about the effects of terrorism and public trauma and champion policies that protect against terrorist acts. [5]

With Yossi Zur's help, Yossi Mendellevich is developing a similar Web site in Israel to disseminate information and support to victims and families of victims of terrorist attacks. The two men also plan to create a section for contributors.

"This type of organization is missing in Israel," he said. "People affected by terrorists need a place where they can turn when they need help. They need to know how to deal with the tragedy of losing a child, a family member or a friend."

As the three fathers prepare for a fifth year without their children, they still talk about how the deaths of their children could have been prevented. Their answer is the same: the anti-terrorist security fence. When their children were killed, the fence had yet to begin construction.

The security fence has been very effective in thwarting suicide attacks since Israel began building it in August 2003 - five months after their children were killed. From 2003-2006 there was a 92 percent reduction in the number of suicide bombings. [6] There was a 30 percent drop in the number of terrorist attacks that took place in 2003, compared to 2002, and a 50 percent drop in the number of victims. [7]

Said Mendellevich, "The fence is temporary. Yuvali's death is permanent."

Contact Information:
* Please note: Israel is +7 hours EST

Yossi Zur
Mailing Address:
POB 7895
Haifa 31078
Israel
Cell: 011-972-54-424-8912
E-mail: Yossi@blondi.co.il
Web site: www.blondi.co.il

Ron Kehrmann
Cell: 011-972-54-591-1822
E-mail: ron@tal-smile.com
Web site: www.tal-smile.com

Yossi Mendellevich
Cell: 011-972-52-320-7188
E-mail: yossi232@012.net.il
Web site: www.yuvali.org

Yossi Zur's Internet letter

Mail Asaf a stone!
On March 5th 2003 Asaf, a young high school boy was on his way back from school. A suicide murderer that exploded on Asaf's bus killed him and sixteen other innocent men, women and children.

Asaf was almost seventeen years old and he is my son.

This year on April 27th we will remember Asaf's 21st birthday.

As every Israeli young man does, Asaf would have finished his military service and would have gone on a trip to see the world either to South America, the Far East, India or maybe Australia and New Zealand.

Ever since Asaf died when ever I go on trips inside Israel or travel abroad I bring back with me a stone.

From the Dead Sea in the south, from the Sea of Galilee in the north from every creek and spring in Israel, Shale from Ein Gedi, basalt from the Golan Heights, many pebbles I laid at Asaf's rest place in the recent years.

When I go abroad I look for a stone from a nice place, from a park or from a famous site. I brought back a stone from Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, from Lake Ontario in Canada, from the Niagara Falls, New York's Central park, Helsinki, London and many other places.

With each stone I lay on Asaf's tombstone I fill I bring the world to him, I feel as if I took Aaaf with me and brought the experience of that place to him.

It is an old Jewish custom to lay a stone at ones grave when coming to visit. The reason for that custom is to show one is remembered, to come and visit your dear ones and see and know that they are remembered by people that visit and lay a stone at their grave.

I am sending this letter in hope it will go around the world and reach many many people. I ask each one of you receiving this letter to mail me a stone from wherever you live.

Asaf may not be able to go and travel the world, So this way I will bring the world to him for his 21st birthday on April 27th this year.

Each one of you getting this letter pick a stone from the place you live in , may it be a small stone, a big stone, a round or a flat stone, put it in an envelope and mail it to me ("Yossi Zur POB 7895 Haifa 31078, Israel", I will lay all the stones received at Asaf's grave.
I will also update the places from which stones were sent on Asaf's memorial web site. At: http://www.blondi.co.il/stone.htm

Please forward this letter to all your email contacts in as many countries as possible.

Thanks in advance
Yossi Zur, Asaf's father
POB 7895
Haifa 31078
Israel
Email: Yossi@Blondi.co.il
Web: www.Blondi.co.il

Ron Kehrmann's letter

Color Tal's Camel
Dear Sir Shalom
March 5th 2007 will be the 4th year since my daughter Tal was killed on board bus 37 in Haifa, Israel.

Tal was a senior in high school, one of 17 killed in that terror attack.

Tal loved Camels.

A few weeks before she was killed Tal drew a Camel in her diary.

This Camel is on stickers and the memo pads issued in her memory.

Tal's Camel needs to be painted and become vivid again.

I am inviting you to be part of "Color Tal's Camel" memorial event.

In Tal's web site www.Tal-Smile.com you can find the camel she drew.

Please print and color Tal's Camel, make him come alive again.

Do not hesitate to be as creative as you can be and add your name once finished.

Please scan and e-mail your unique Camel back to me from the "contact us" at Tal's site.

Please bear in mind that Tal was a very happy teenager creative with extraordinary ideas.

All the camels will be posted on http://www.tal-smile.com/DrawTalCamelE.htm

I will be very thankful to you if you will be kind enough to take part in my project and if you forward my request to as many of your friends as possible hoping they will do the same, Color Tal's Camel and forward my request.

Thank you in advance
Ron Kehrmann Tal's Father

Footnotes
[1] Mendellevich, Yossi, "The Banality of Atrocity," Yuval Mendellevich, accessed Feb. 21, 2007, http://www.yuvali.org/remember_yuval_en.html
[2] "Suicide bombing of egged bus No 37 in Haifa, March 5, 2003," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, Jan. 21, 2004, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2004/1/Suicide%20bombing%20of%20Egged%20bus%20No%2037%20in%20Haifa%20-%205-Ma
[3] Soudakoff, Sharon Ann, "Jewish Funeral and Mourning Customs," www.TheFuneralDirectory.com, accessed Feb. 20, 2007, http://www.thefuneraldirectory.com/jewishcustoms.html; Wolpe, Rabbi David, "The Symbol of the Stone," Beliefnet, accessed Feb. 23, 2007, http://www.beliefnet.com/author/author_59.html
[4] "Yuval Mendellevich," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, March 5, 2003, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-%20Obstacle%20to%20Peace/Memorial/2003/Yuval%20Mendellevich
[5] "Our Mission," Families of September 11 Web site, accessed Feb. 21, 2007, www.familiesofseptember11.org
[6] Interview with David Siegel, Spokesman, Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C., Feb. 19, 2007
[7] "Saving Lives:Israel's Anti-Terrorist Fence, Answers to Questions," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, Jan. 1, 2004, http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/mfaarchive/2000_2009/2003/11/saving%20lives-%20israel-s%20anti-terrorist%20fence%20-%20answ

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