Haim Smadar

Mar 29, 2002 - Haim Smadar, 55, of Jerusalem, was one of two people killed when a female suicide bomber blew herself up in the Kiryat Yovel supermarket in Jerusalem.

Haim Smadar, who worked as a guard at a school, was only working as a security at the supermarket in Jerusalem's Kiryat Hayovel neighborhood during the Passover holidays. He usually guarded in a school, but it was closed for the holiday. On Friday afternoon, a 16-year-old female Palestinian suicide bomber, wearing a belt of explosives around her waist, walked into the supermarket on Friday afternoon and blew herself up. Haim Smadar, the security guard, who prevented the bomber from going

Haim, was born in Tunis and immigrated to Israel when he was two years old. He grew up in Jerusalem. He married soon after completing his army service, and soon divorced. In 1977, father to a son of 7, he met and married his second wife, Shoshana. He was well known for his diligence and good relations. He received a certificate of appreciation from the Jerusalem Municipality last year, for dedication and excellence in his job as a security guard at educational institutions.

The school at which he worked is attended by autistic children, children with communication difficulties and normal children. Haim was like another parent to the children, who were very attached to him. He would greet each child arriving at school by name. "It is so characteristic of him that he was the one to block the terrorist from entering the supermarket," said one of the parents.

"Shoshana, if a suicide bomber ever comes close to my school, he will not get past me. With my own body I would stop him," remembers his wife.

Haim Smadar was buried in Jerusalem. He is survived by his wife Shoshana and their five children, as well as Alon, his son by his first marriage.