Ayala Levy

Oct 28, 2001 - Ayala Levy, 39, of Elyachin was killed when two Palestinian terrorists, members of the Palestinian police, opened fire from a vehicle on Israeli pedestrians at a crowded bus-stop in downtown Hadera.

On Sunday afternoon, after finishing her day's work at a local nursery school, Ayala Levy was on her way to pick up her two daughters from nursery. In the center of Hadera, the terrorists spotted a crowd of people waiting at the bus stop and opened fire with automatic rifles. According to eyewitnesses, one of the gunmen fired at those at the bus stop, while the driver put his rifle out the window and fired at those on the opposite side of the street. Ayala was one of four women killed in the attack, in which 44 others were wounded.

Ayala and her husband Rahamim had been married for 12 years before they finally succeeded in having children. Ayala gave birth to two daughters: Or ("light") - whom Ayala called "the light of our lives - aged 5, and Shahar, aged 4. They were planning to move into their new home in Elyachin, which was almost ready.

Ayala grew up in Moshav Elyachin in the Hefer Valley. She lost her mother at age 12. Religiously observant, she did national service in lieu of army duty in a nursery school in Eilat. There she fell in love with working with children, and decided to continue in the profession.

Ayala Levy was laid to rest in Elyachin. She is survived by her father and two daughters, her father and sister.