Ofer Ron

Mar 31, 2002 - Ofer Ron, 18, of Haifa was one of 15 people killed in a suicide bombing in Haifa, in the Matza restaurant of the gas station near the Grand Canyon shopping mall.

Just after 2:30 PM on Sunday afternoon, during the Passover holiday, the terrorist entered the popular Matza restaurant in the Neve Sha'anan district near the Grand Canyon mall. The explosion tore the roof off the one-story building, and blew out the windows, instantly killing 14 people, and leaving horrific scenes of people on fire, and people with lost limbs. Over 40 people were injured.

Ofer had planned to go to the shore on Sunday. But because of the bad weather he decided to go with his parents, Aviel and Carmit and his sister Anat, 21, to the restaurant. Only his mother Carmit survived the blast, lightly wounded in the leg.

A 12th grade student, Ofer was studying architecture. He planned to join a Golani unit in the army.

Ofer Ron was buried in Haifa alongside his father Aviel and his sister Anat. He is survived by his mother Carmit, and his grandmother Yael.