Shalom Har-Melekh

August 29, 2003 - Shalom (Shuli) Har-Melekh, 25, of Homesh was shot to death by terrorists while driving northeast of Ramallah on Friday morning. His wife, Limor, who was seven months' pregnant, was moderately wounded. She was rushed to a Jerusalem hospital, where she gave birth to a healthy baby girl by cesarean section. The Fatah al-Aqsa Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.

Har-Melekh studied at the Homesh yeshiva and taught at the Kedumim school, while working as a volunteer ambulance driver for the Hatzola rescue organization of Judea and Samaria. He himself had cared for the victims of many terrorist attacks over the years of the intifada and his volunteer colleagues, who were the first to reach the scene of the attack, were shocked to discover him as a victim.

Family friend Etti Rosenblat recalled that the couple had moved to Homesh a month after their wedding two years ago and that Har-Melekh was supposed to have begun serving as the rabbi of a yeshiva in Netanya.

"He was a wonderful man, warm and helpful," Rosenblat related. "They came to us at a very difficult time for the settlement, after three members had been murdered in terrorist attacks." The couple fit in well and Har-Melekh even worked to recruit more members, Rosenblat said.

Shalom Har-Melekh was buried at his hometown cemetery. He is survived by his parents, his wife, Limor, a son, 14-month-old Ahuvia, and a newborn daughter.