Israeli woman confirmed as being among Berlin attack victims
Dalia Elyakim, 60, of Herzliya was identified as being one of the 12 people killed in the German capital
An Israeli woman missing since a terror attack in the center of Berlin has been identified as one of the 12 people killed.
Dalia Elyakim, 60, of Herzliya, was identified Wednesday night, confirming that she was among those who died when a truck plowed into a crowd Monday at a Christmas market near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
Her husband, Rami, also 60, was seriously injured in the attack. He reportedly is sedated and breathing with a respirator following surgery.
Some 48 people were injured in the attack. On Wednesday, the Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility.
The prime suspect is a Tunisian man, 24, whose request for asylum was rejected by Germany. The suspect, Anis Amri, reportedly is a known jihadist. His asylum papers reportedly were found in the truck used in the attack.
A suspect arrested previously was released Tuesday after police determined he was not the driver of the truck.
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin in a statement offered his sympathies to the Elyakim family.
“We will remain united and determined in the face of this murderous terror which strikes across the world, and we will fight relentlessly against extremism and hatred,” Rivlin said.
Chabad Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, a part of Berlin’s official Jewish community, led a ceremony Wednesday evening to pray for the health of the injured and remember those killed in the attack. Approximately 100 members of the Berlin Jewish community were on hand.
At the ceremony, Teichtal said the attackers “didn’t only attack Berlin, Germany or the Jews. But rather they attacked the people who believe in a world of democracy, a world full of respect, a world of light, because they, the attackers, believe in a life full of darkness. Our response to that is unity and the solidarity shown being here now.”
Klaus Dieter Groehler, a member of the German House of Representatives, the Bundestag, at the ceremony called on Berliners to continue living their everyday lives as usual. Groehler, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party, added that he intends to take part in the traditional Hanukkah candle lighting at the Brandenburg Gate.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
