Dvir Anter

Nov 28, 2002 - Dvir Anter, 14, of Ariel, was one of three Israelis and 10 Kenyans killed when a car bomb exploded in the lobby of the Israeli-owned beachfront Paradise Hotel, frequented almost exclusively by Israeli tourists near Mombasa in Kenya.

Dvir was killed together with his brother, Noy. His mother Ora and sister Adva were among the 21 Israelis wounded in the explosion - Ora seriously - in which about 60 Kenyans were also wounded.

Just a week before, the Anter family had celebrated Noy's 12th birthday in the home of the uncles in Ramat Gan. Rahamim and Ora Anter had painfully put together shekel to shekel to buy their children this trip to Kenya as a Hanukkah present. This was the children's first trip abroad.

Rahamim Anter, the boys' father, described what happened: "We [the Israeli group] came to the hotel in three buses. There were belly dancers there, which everyone enjoyed. We photographed everything. After a few minutes we entered the hotel lobby, got the keys and went up to our rooms. We were very excited. The rooms were beautiful and very big. Ora was very happy. She wanted a cup of coffee after the flight. I suggested that she order room service, but the phone in the room didn't work. So Ora went down and the three kids went with her. They went, and I sat down on the bed and took off my shoes. Suddenly there was an explosion. I jumped up and saw fire through the window. I ran outside and looked everywhere for them, trying with all my might to save them."

Dvir was an eighth-grade student at the Hayovel Junior High School in Ariel, where his parents settled 16 years ago. His teachers described him as an excellent student who was full of life. Principal Ilana Olman recalled that when he first came to the school, Dvir "was so quiet that the first time he raised his hand in one of my history classes, everyone clapped, because it was the first time he had spoken." His classmate said, "Dvir was so looking forward to the trip. He told me about everything they were going to do - the safari, the beach, everything."

Dvir and his younger brother Noy were best friends, who loved to ride their bikes, play computer games, and above all took care of their younger sister, Adva, 8. Both boys also practiced the Brazilian Kapuara martial arts, and were to have participated in a local competition on their return home. The competition will be held, after the seven-day mourning period, in their memory.