Yelena Konrab

Apr 12, 2002 - Yelena Konrab, 43, of Jerusalem was killed by a woman suicide bomber who detonated a powerful charge at a bus stop on Jaffa road next to the entrance to Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda open-air market. Another 104 people were injured in the blast, among them nine Arabs. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.

Yelena Konrab immigrated to Israel a year ago from Caucasus with her father to join her daughter and daughter's boyfriend who had immigrated two years earlier. Yelena was an economist. Yelena was concerned about the security situation in Jerusalem but remained in the city because her daughter is a student at the Hebrew University.

Yelena had planned to visit Russia ten days ago but delayed her trip since her daughter's boyfriend Dima Bollet, who serves in the Golani Brigade, was stationed in the territories. He was expecting to be home for Sabbath and she wanted to see him.

"I am alone in this country. Yelena was like a mother to me," said Dima. "I received leave from the army for Shabbat. Yelena phoned me while I was on my way home. She told me she needed to pop out to the market for a minute to buy mayonaisse to finish cooking for Sabbath. When I arrived home, there was a meal waiting for me on the table with all the foods I love."

"She was new in the country and, instead of asking for help, she sought ways to help others," said one of her friends.

Yelena Konrab was buried in the Kfar Shaul cemetery in Jerusalem. She leaves behind her father Alexander, daughter Dariyah and Dariyah's boyfriend Dima.