A week after murder, one family business reopens

Yesterday, seven days after the brutal murder of the Oshrenko family in Rishon Letzion, only one of the family's four businesses was open.

The Oshrenkos - grandfather and grandmother Edward and Ludmilla, both 56, parents Tatiana, 28, and Dmitry, 32, and their children Revital (Rochelle), 3, and 4-month-old Netanel - were found murdered in their apartment in Rishon Letzion last Saturday. Police have not announced whether they have any suspects.

This weekend was the first in four years that the family's Rishon Letzion restaurant Premier was closed. Igor Krasovsky, the Oshrenkos' business partner, would not say whether the decision to keep the popular hangout closed was made by Dmitry's sister Yana Oshrenko - the only family member who was not killed in the massacre - or by police.

The family owned several businesses popular among immigrants from the former Soviet Union, including a deli in the center of the city, and another restaurant, Shannon, in Ashdod, which reopened.

The Premier restaurant/club was launched in 2006, and was open on weekends. The place was frequented by notable members of the Russian-speaking community, including actors who regularly hosted parties there. Thursday was karaoke night, and Friday was 80s music night.

Alexander, the former owner of a security firm that used to work with Premier, said the club was a quiet spot, and that it was not involved in any disputes.

"Had anyone asked Dmitry whether he was paying protection money, he would have probably said that the only one receiving his protection money was the police, which used his taxes to keep the order," Alexander said.

The former security professional said he did not believe the killing of the six family members was an attempt to take over the business.

"There are easier ways to do that, you don't have to kill a whole family," he said.