Baruch Lerner-Naor

Mar 9, 2002 - Baruch Lerner-Naor, 28, of Eli was one of 11 people killed when a suicide bomber exploded at 22:30 PM Saturday night in a crowded cafe at the corner of Aza and Ben-Maimon streets in the Rehavia neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem.

The bomber walked into the Cafe Moment, located about 100 meters from the prime minister's residence, and detonated a powerful explosive charge that completely gutted the restaurant. The cafe was teeming with dozens of people at the time of the attack. Baruch Lerner was one of 11 people killed and 54 injured in the explosion.

Baruch Lerner served in the IDF Shaked unit and the Givati Brigade, both in Lebanon and in Gaza. Friends relate that Baruch would often say: "It is good to die for our country." Baruch was named after his grandfather, a member of the French underground, who died, also at the age of 28, fighting the Nazis.

After his army service, Baruch studied at the Ariel regional college, where he wrote a paper about the Palestinian 'shahids' ("martyrs"), and about the phenomenon of suicide bombers. He worked as a security guard in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Baruch Lerner was buried in the Givat Shaul cemetery in Jerusalem. He is survived by his parents, Daniel and Roni.