Kiril Shramko

May 19, 2003 - Kiril Shramko, 22, of Afula was one of three people killed in a suicide bombing at the entrance to the Amakim Mall in Afula. The Islamic Jihad and the Fatah al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades both claimed responsibility for the attack.

It was the first day at work for Kiril Shramko as a security guard at the mall. He was on duty at the doorway when his metal detector began beeping as the bomber, a young women, reached the entrance. He called to his partner, Hadar Gitlin, apparently to ask for her help, when the bomb went off. Kiril was killed; Hadar was seriously wounded - one of 70 wounded in the blast. By preventing the suicide bomber from entering the mall, filled with about 2,500 people, the guards saved countless lives.

Kiril Shramko, who immigrated to Israel from Russia by himself three years ago, recently completed his service in the IDF Armored Corps and applied for a job as a security guard. After being instructed in procedures, he was posted at the entrance. Shortly afterwards he was killed.

Kiril lived on Kibbutz Ramat David along with other immigrant soldiers without families in Israel. He had just rented an apartment in Afula together with a friend. His only relative in Israel is his father's brother, who lives in Afula. The uncle related that Kiril's family had planned to immigrate to Israel in September.

Zvika Levy, in charge of lone immigrant soldiers in the kibbutz movement, had recommended that he look for a job as a security guard. Zvika met him at the Afula mall by chance just a short time before the bombing: "He saw me and said, 'Zvika, you can't go in.' I wanted to invite him for a drink, but he said he was on duty. After I left, I heard that an immigrant employed as a guard had been killed in the attack. I knew it was him. It was impossible not to like him."

Anita Katz, the "mother" of the immigrant soldiers at Kibbutz Ramat David, related, "He came to us two years ago, completely alone. He was like a son to me."

Kiril Shramko is survived by his parents, Nikolai and Irina, and his brother Yevgeny, 12. Funeral arrangements will be decided after they arrive in Israel.