Ronen Landau

July 26, 2001 - Ronen Landau, 17, of Givat Ze'ev, was shot and killed by Palestinian terrorists while returning home from Jerusalem with his father.

Ronen Landau had gone with a friend to see a movie in Jerusalem. Rather than worry about how he would get home safely, his father decided he would drive all the way from Givat Ze'ev, north of Jerusalem, to pick up his son. On the way home, terrorists opened fire on their car. Ronen, who was fatally injured, managed to say to his father, "I've been hit," but died shortly afterwards.

Ronen was the second of three sons in the Landau family. His father, Shmuel, works in an electronics plant in Jerusalem, and his mother, Michal, is a teacher at the ORT Ramot High School, which Ronen also attended. The school took a break from summer vacation to open its doors for the dozens of grieving pupils who came to mourn Landau and pay him tribute.

Ronen was to have entered 12th grade in September. He was considered one of the top pupils in the 39-pupil class. "Ronen was very much the computer freak," principal Aliza Golan said. He was also good in biology, said grade supervisor Davidit Shalev. The school is planning to name a computer room for Landau and to establish a website in his name. In addition, Ronen loved animals, and left behind two Siberian huskies - Snow and Icy.

Ronen Landau was buried in Jerusalem. He is survived by his parents and two brothers - Elad, a tank commander, and Yogev, who will be entering fourth grade.