Victims of the peace process (short version)

IN THE MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS TALI AND ITZIK IMAS AND MURDERED WITH THEM KOCHAVA EVEN CHAIM AND AVISHAI SHINDLER Z”L

Old “Subaru” of Imas family with two hitchhikers were shot and killed at point blank by Hamas, at night of August 31, 2010 on Bani Naim junction (highway #60) near Arab village. Army check-point that used to be there was taken out as a “gesture of good will”.

Avishai Shindler killed in this terrorist attack married just 10 months ago.

Momi Even Chaim, husband of slain Kochava is a ZAKA volunteer, he was

one of the first to arrive at the scene of the attack. Approaching the car pierced

with bullets, in one of the victims he recognized his wife. Only later the soldiers

were able to take him away from the place of tragedy. Kochava and Momi have a

ten year old daughter. Kochava was pregnant.

Four adults and one unborn baby were murdered in this terrorist attack.

Avishai ShindlerKochava Even Chaim

photo: Eugene Zadiran

Imas family has six children: Daniel (24, married, has his own baby), Ruth (18), Ariel (16), Ruhama (12), Hodaya (8), Oz (4.5 years old).

Anya Antopolskaya, co-director of the association “Meeting Place", knew Imas family from Moscow. Vadim (Itzik) and Natalia (Tali) studied at the history department of Moscow State University and moved to Israel during their fith year of studies. Here Itzik worked as a gardener and a worker on a farm. Natalia became an accountant and thus was the main money maker in the family, letting her husband learn in the kollel – yeshiva for adults in the Karmei Tsur settlement.

“They were very bright and warm people, they emanated warmth. Their life is a pure Kiddush Hashem (“sanctification of G-d’s name”). Their pure and spiritual way of life made a big influence on a lot of people”.

IT’S PRETTY CLEAR, THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS EXTREMIST, ISN’T HE?

photo: Sergey Grankin

One of Itzik’s friends wrote on the pages of “Live Journal”: “Last months of Itzik’s life were very hard ones. Arabs in Israeli police uniforms, encouraged by their higher ranking Jewish officers made a real hunt after Jews who went on The Temple Mount. Itzik’s personal weapon was confiscated leaving him defenceless. But other Arabs got him. We must not let the torch that he has carried for the last 20 years while living in Israel get extinguished”.

photo: Sergey Grankin

"About a year ago Ministry of Internal Affairs by the recommendation of the Police Colonel Ephraim Erlich has revoked Itzik Imas's permit to carry weapons. This was based on already closed cases of disturbing public order in 2005 at the time of "disengagement".

Already after all cases have been closed, weapons permit has been extended to Itzik Imas, and then ... his weapon has been taken away.

For many months Itzik Imas demanded restitution of justice and that his weapon should be returned to him. To no avail.

Denying a weapon from Itzik Imas became possible by special rules, developed by interdepartmental group headed by deputy general attorney Shai Nitzan.

This group rapidly takes away weapons from settlers, leaving them thus defenseless in front of the terrorists..."

Based on materials from Zman.com and Izrus websites

“This bloody event did not leave anyone indifferent. Perhaps because many of us knew these people. Natalia was open to everyone with all her soul, Itzik, in his sky-blue eyes there was always a smile. Itzik wanted to bring the Temple closer to everyone’s soul. He believed that it is possible. And he did it. And most importantly, he did not demand impossible from anyone, he did everything he could himself.”

I. Baranova

ITZIK IMAS ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT, JANUARY 2008

photo: David Rabkin

ITZIK IMAS ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT

photo: Michael Polski

LESSON ABOUT THE TEMPLE ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT

photo: Michael Polski

“And this happy couple - Natasha and Itzik?! They lived their lives together as one soul, and shared everything: birth and raising of the children, love for each other, family happiness, kindness, common goals, even same blog on the Live Journal. Life for two! And now death for two and inescapable sorrow of their children”

photos: David Rabkin

Evgenia Sokolova

KEDUMIM, MAY 2009, AT THE WEDDING OF FRIENDS

photo: David Rabkin

IMAS FAMILY AND TOUR GUIDE ITZHAK FISHELEVICH

photo: Michael Polski

IN MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS Z”L: ITZIK AND TALI IMAS “WILL FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE”

When you are next to them – you cannot make a mistake. There are people,

who emit a special light. Light of righteous. Don’t know, what portion of the light

on Earth they provide – a righteous person leaves, and as though light has not

diminished – life goes on, Earth spins. But those close to them certainly know –

at the moment these righteous people have left this world the light on Earth has

been diminished. Sure, there will be a new righteous – this is how our world

operates, Almighty does not disturb harmony that He has created. Even if the

divine laws are not known to us, that even sometimes it seems as though there

aren’t any, - yet a special, individual light of a specific righteous person is

irreplaceable.

What is this light made out of... From faith, good deeds, pure and sincere

words and actions. From humble selflessness. From the ability of a man to ignite

from within – and all around himself – given to him by G-d spark. All this Itzik and

Tali Imas had. This was obvious to everyone, who once got close to them.

IN MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS Z”L: ITZIK AND TALI IMAS “WILL FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE”

On August 27th, Itzik and Tali made their last entrance on their Live Journal blog:

“Time has come to pray for the building of the Temple as seriously as we

pray for our livelihood. It is time to care about building of the Temple as

seriously, as we care about our livelihood. It is time to return to Tshuva

(Repentance)”.

Let the memory of the righteous be for a blessing. And let Almighty give us, who are left here, strength and wisdom to continue to save the light of righteousness, pure faith and good deeds.

by Anna Danilova

KEDUMIM, SEPTEMBER 2005

photo: David Rabkin

FAREWELL TO ALL THE VICTIMS IN THE VILLAGE OF BEIT HAGAI

photo: David Rabkin

THE HARDEST WAS TO SEE FIVE ORPHANS OF THE IMAS FAMILY - TWO OLDER SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS (YOUNGEST IMAS

– OZ DAVID DID NOT ATTEND THE FUNERAL)

photo: Michael Polski

“They were buried together in one grave. On the very top of the Mount of Olives. It is very quiet and peaceful there. A wind there blows away heat of the day into the high and very blue Jerusalem sky. And the Temple Mount is seen from there so clearly and well, that one can see every place, where Itzik and Talia brought us during our tours. There in quietness and calm lie awaiting the coming of the Messiah great sages and great righteous. Now there lie with them Talia and Itzik Imas. Let their memory be blessed and may G-d avenge their innocent blood”.

Alexander Nepomniashchy

From the author:

We were not close friends with Itzik and Tali, though we knew them for a while and met from time to time. We have learned from Itzik and went with him on tours, it was with him that we ascended the Temple Mount for the first time. Itzik’s wife Tali was an active organizer of the “Meeting Place” a non-profit Jewish tourism organization, that organized Itzik’s tours of the Old City and the Temple Mount. Regular – despite all! – his tours of the Temple Mount were a big accomplishment of the organization.

He came to us in Haifa to hold lectures on the history of the Temple for the very small group of enthusiasts, he was ready to go to the ends of the world for the sake of the Temple.

Itzik and Tali were exceptionally bright, kind, intelligent, just holy people, whom we were honored to know.

Another friend of Itzik wrote: “we were not friends, though it would be easy – we had a few dozen friends in common. But we belonged to the same circle. Them – in the center, us – in the periphery. They were our role models, very bright people. Illuminating”.

BRIGHT AND ETERNAL MEMORY OF THEM BOTH!

Who is responsible in their deaths we understand.

At least two questions remain:

• How can we help the orphans?

• How to continue life mission of Imas family?

It is recommended to make donations into the account of a special fund: “

Hemla - Merkaz Ahesed”; fund founders Gershon Rotshild and Yehuda Glik

are good people and close friends of Itzik ל"ז

IMPORTANT: Donations are tax deductable in Israel and USA

Credit card (from Israel and abroad): please call here 1-800-2000-87.

Israeli checks can be sent to this address:

P.O.B. 61184, Jerusalem, Israel for "American friends of charity of light

fund" , in the letter, write the following "Donation for children of Imas

family". Those who want to get a tax deductable receipt, should indicate

it in the letter and it will be mailed to them.

For money transfers in Israel: Bank HaDoar (postal bank – in any

branch of Israel Post) account #: 3735581, “For Imas family only”.

WAYS OF TRANSFERRING MONEY TO MAKE A DONATION:

Hemla - Merkaz Ahesed (link is in Hebrew) – this is a future oriented fund taking into consideration many upcoming expenses, such as: education for children, activities, study and later on weddings, etc. So if you can make “oraat keva” (even very small, but regular payments to their account) this would be wonderful!

Foreign checks can be sent to this address:

P.O.B. 61184, Jerusalem, Israel for "American friends of charity of light fund" , in the letter, write the following "Donation for children of Imas family". Those who want to get a tax deductable receipt, should indicate it in the letter and it will be mailed to them.

PayPal (from Israel and abroad)

For all, who cannot use options above, there is a possibility of transferring cash and checks within Israel.

For a full list of ways of transferring money and a list of volunteers, please visit this page: http://sashanep.livejournal.com/592744.html (scroll down for English)

WAYS OF TRANSFERRING MONEY TO MAKE A DONATION:

WHY DO WE NEED ASCENTS TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT?

Today, Israeli society poorly understands and is petrified of everything that has to do with the Temple Mount. Charedi society daily prays for the rebuilding of the Temple, yet absolutely forbids ascending on the Mount (they believe that the Temple descend from above, “ready for use”). Israeli Police tries to disrupt our ascends and persecutes Jews, like Itzik Imas. And a typical question of the secular person – do you really want to destroy Muslim Mosques on the Mount and by doing so terribly anger Muslims (as if everything else doesn’t cause their anger)?

Calm down, no one is planning to destroy these Mosques any time soon. But we know that one day they will disappear. We do not know yet, whether it is going to happen by human hands, or would an earthquake bring down the Mosques or will any other cataclysm do the job. We still don’t know – how, but we firmly know that this is going to happen and the Jewish nation should be ready for it. And to prepare, we need to ascent to the Mount, study its’ history, makeup and laws of the Temple and to teach our children.

We know, that Muslims, without realizing it are protecting this place for us – to fulfill prophecies about the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its Temple. And currently shining nice “golden dome” on top of the Temple Mount will sooner or later give way to a shining bright truly magnificent Temple.

WHY DO WE NEED ASCENTS TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT?

And we wish you and ourselves: “In the New Year – in the rebuilt

Jerusalem – that is in the Jerusalem with rebuilt Temple!”

In the words of the hero of Bulgakov, "devastation begins in the minds”. And the creation of new also always starts in people’s minds. Today rebuilding of the Temple on the place of Muslim buildings seems absolutely impossible to our realist-materialists. But even more fantastic things – such as return here of millions of Jews and creation of our state – in the beginning of XX century seemed silly and fantastic to many – laughable – yet it became a reality. And it all started from a thin pamphlet of a naive dreamer Theodor Herzl...

In the literal and figurative senses we have a long and difficult path to the Temple. And we need to start going on this path already today. Righteous Itzik and Talia Imas dedicated their lives doing so.

Michael Brook

“Not many of us have “a work of life”, Imas family certainly have!

And it would be terribly sad to admit, that a work of their lives will go with them. Especially, since work of Imas family has moved some deep spiritual masses, that made absolutely secular people get up at the sunrise, dip in the mikvah, go through police check-up and proudly ascend with Imases to the Temple Mount – a symbol of our Redemption, leaving behind the Wailing Wall – a symbol of our Exile.

At the time, when Jews from all over the world send their notes to the Wailing Wall, considering it the holiest place in the world, it is very important to realize, that the Wailing Wall – is just a support for the sand mound, that Herod made during the expansion of the Temple Mount. This Support, does not have a direct connection with the Temple and is a symbol of our shame and mourning the destruction of the Temple, cry for crushed independence of our nation.

Mere fact, that we have returned to our Land and are coming back to our Temple Mount, has a deep symbolic and political significance. We are no longer beaten up, despised “Kikes”, but are worthy representatives of our nation”.

“THERE IS NO BETTER MEMORIAL TO THE FALLEN HERO, THEN A CONTINUATION OF HIS LIFE’S WORK”

Here is what Dr. Efim Kelman wrote:

“Main work of Itzik’s life was our return to the Temple Mount. And this work now should only become stronger. So let everyone, without making a vow to decide for oneself:

- those who are ready, should ascend to the Temple Mount, but be certain to follow all the rules.

- those who are not ready and are not sure that it is allowed – should learn what is allowed and what is not on the Temple Mount, what opinions exist and they are based on.

And let them tell what they know well and help others to ascend to the Temple Mount and while doing so to remember Tali and Itzik. And let men do this three times a year: on Pessah, Sukkot and Shavuot, and women – whenever they can. And those who can do it more often, should do so”.

And finally, the very end ...

Those, who want to learn more about The Temple Mount and The Temple, or just want to travel in the Land of Israel:

- You can get in touch with “Meeting Place” organization http://mesto.org.il/homepage-en

- Also we recommend site “Jerusalem Temple Today” and its “memorial page” (this site is in Russian) http://jerusalem-temple-today.com/katav/10/09-01-pohIz/Imas.html

And if you knew Imas family and you have photos, audio, video or any other materials about them and their activities – please send it to “Meeting Place”, where a memorial site about Imas family is being created and all such materials are welcome.

THANK YOU!

This presentation includes blog fragments from Live Journal pages of numerous friends

of Imas family including photos by David Rabkin, Michael Polski, Sergey Grankin and

many-many others.

Thanks to photographers and all those who wrote kind words!

SHANA TOVA!

This presentation is prepared by: Roman Cherniavsky

Translation into English and design by: appSTUDIO

September, 2010