Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., September 04, 2008 Elul 4, 5768 | | Israel Time: 22:56 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

They never came home By Nurit Wurgaft Tags: kidnappings, Israel The murder of a child almost always makes the entire country skip a heartbeat, especially if news of the death is preceded by the child's disappearance and extensive searches. During the past 30 years dozens of children have disappeared or been murdered in Israel. Many of these cases remain unsolved to this day. b July 1, 1980 - The body of 8-year-old Oron Yarden is found in Netanya's sand dunes, about a month after his murder. The boy had been kidnapped for ransom. The family paid the money and police tracked down the kidnapper, Zvi Gur, who claimed the boy's death had been an accident. "The boy was in my car and started to scream," Gur told his interrogators. "I stuffed his mouth and then suddenly discovered he had choked to death." b September 9, 1981 - Eleven-year-old Yisrael Nolman, the only child of a couple who had immigrated from the Soviet Union, living in Haifa's Neve Sha'anan neighborhood, goes out to play near his home and doesn't return. His body is found two days later. Advertisement b March 24, 1982 - The whole country holds its breath as police and volunteers assist in the search for 11-year-old Nava Elimelech of Bat Yam, who had gone to visit a friend and never arrived. Her dismembered body is discovered 10 days later. Her murder is never solved. b August 26, 1982 - David Strikovsky, 13, leaves his Bat Yam home and heads for the beach, wearing only his bathing suit. He disappears without a trace. Police believe he drowned, even though he was a good swimmer and despite the fact that his body is never found. A year after his disappearance, police try to prevent his father from protesting the halting of the search. He had protested with placards asking, "Alive or dead?" The case is never solved. b March 1, 1983 - The police ask for the public's assistance in the search for Yisrael Sofer, 13, after his disappearance from his home in Jaffa. "The last time the boy was seen, he was playing with friends beside his house on Jaffa's Yehuda Hayamit St.," a journalist wrote in Itim. "He did not go home, nor did he go to the local synagogue, as usual, for evening prayers." The case remains a mystery to this day. b July 15, 1983 - Rachel Albaldes, 16, leaves her workplace on Tel Aviv's Yehuda Halevi St. and heads to a store on Levinsky. She never returns. She has not been seen since, nor has her disappearance been solved. b December 11, 1983 - The body of 15-year-old Danny Katz, who had gone missing three weeks prior, is discovered. Police arrest several suspects, accusing them of the murder. They are convicted, but some years later they claim that they were not involved in the murder. b April 27, 1989 - Police, Border Police, Israel Defense Forces soldiers and volunteers search for Oren Barhami, 13, of Jaffa. Police surmise that he ran away from home after arguing with his parents. His body is found a month later. His murderers are caught and sentenced to jail. b April 3, 1991 - The body of 2-year-old Yehonatan Cohen of Rishon Letzion is found, after he was apparently drowned by his father in an act of revenge against the mother, who wanted to leave him. The father commits suicide a few days later. b November 24, 1994 - Alexandra (Sasha) Brandt, 10, the daughter of Soviet immigrants, disappears on her way home from school in Ramat Gan. The police initially suspect involvement of the Russian mafia. Alexandra is never found. b December 13, 1996 - Adi Ya'akobi, 17, of Tel Aviv, disappears without a trace after hitchhiking her way to Netanya. She is never seen again. b May 19, 1999 - Avital Tivoni, 1, and her brother Jeffrey, 4, are burned to death by their father, Erez, in Tel Aviv. He claims his wife had prevented him from visiting them, and demanded to see them. Following a visit supervised by a social worker, he pours gasoline on them and sets them alight. b December 8, 2002 - The media is aflood with dramatic reports of a widespread search for 2-year-old Hodaya Kedem of Jerusalem, who had disappeared the previous day. Her body is found a few days later, after it turns out that her father, Eli Pimstein, had drowned her in the bathtub and buried the body. b January 8, 2003 - A search is mounted for Nur Abu Tir, 6, of Umm Tuba. Her body is found a few days later. She had been murdered by an uncle. b June 12, 2006 - The body of Tair Rada, 13, of Katzrin, is found in the girls bathroom of her school. The trial of the man suspected of her murder is proceeding. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Sarkozy in Syria Visit will put the onus on Damascus to cooperate further on Lebanon. Shalit talks frozen Hamas' senior leader in Gaza blames Israel for breakdown of negotiations.

Read & React ANALYSIS / France elbows U.S. aside in Syria negotiations Responses: 32 Obama makes peace with Fox News while McCain shuns CNN Responses: 44 Giuliani: Obama backtracked on undivided Jerusalem Responses: 48 Biden: AIPAC doesn't speak for Israel, no matter what it insists Responses: 85 More Headlines 22:40 Nasrallah: We still seek fallen guerillas' bodies 21:37 Assad: We won't cut our ties with Hezbollah, despite Israel talks 13:52 ANALYSIS / France elbows U.S. aside in Syria negotiations 22:01 IDF court jails Israeli Arab tracker for spying for Hezbollah 19:52 Counter Terrorism Bureau tells Israelis: Leave Sinai immediately 19:01 State orders police to probe publication of Obama's Western Wall note 22:41 Jerusalem police limit entry of Palestinians for Ramadan prayer 19:21 U.S. federal court revokes citizenship of former Nazi police officer 16:52 Court allows rightists to march through Israeli Arab town 04:55 New 'chameleon' uniforms meant to boost IDF performance in different environments 13:54 Sarkozy gives Assad letter from Noam Shalit to his son Gilad 19:26 Jerusalem residents claim victory over controversial real estate plan 13:53 Giuliani to GOP: Obama backtracked on undivided Jerusalem 19:04 Israel tries to lure 'Big Brother' type U.S. reality TV series 16:37 Hamas detains senior leader of pro Al-Qaida group in Gaza Previous Editions Select Day 03 sep 02 sep 01 sep 31 aug 29 aug 28 aug 27 aug 26 aug 25 aug 24 aug 22 aug 21 aug

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. JMG your online solution Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com MBA in Israel in English APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved