Thirteen years after the horrific suicide bombing attack at the Sbarro Restaurant in Yerushalayim, Hadassah Hospital’s Professor Avi Rivkind made good on his promise, to dance at the wedding of one of the victims, Adi Huja.

Thirteen years ago when she was between life and death, the nation’s leading traumatologist was working to save as many lives as he could among the many victims that arrived at the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital trauma center.

It was Prof. Rivkind who studied at the internationally acclaimed Shock Trauma Unit in Maryland, USA and he brought this knowledge and expertise back to Israel two decades ago. Following the many terror attacks R”L over the years, he has become the experts expert, now teaching trauma specialists around the world as the Hadassah team has been honed to perfection.

Prof. Rivkind recalls that Adi’s legs were badly damaged in the explosions, not to mention injuries over her entire body. 120 units of blood were required to save her life he added, and she has been written up in many a medical journal as she defied all odds – viewed by the medical profession as a walking miracle.

During her treatments Rivkind told Adi she was in good hands and that she was going to make it. He promised that she will rehabilitate herself and he will come to dance at her wedding. He fulfilled the promise on Monday evening the eve of 2 Adar II. “It was very emotional to dance with Adi, healthy and totally recovered. I dreamed of the day and it arrived. There are things in life that we do not take for granted”.

The Sbarro Attack – Aug 9, 2001:

15 people were murdered HY”D and 130 were injured in the suicide bombing at the Sbarro pizzeria on the corner of King George Street and Yaffa Road in the center of Yerushalayim.

Hamas and the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.

The korbanos HY”D:

1. Giora Balash, 60, of Brazil;

2. Tzvika Golombek, 26, of Carmiel;

3. Shoshana Yehudit Greenbaum, 31, of the US;

4. Tehila Maoz, 18, of Jerusalem;

5. Frieda Mendelsohn, 62, of Jerusalem;

6. Michal Raziel, 16, of Jerusalem;

7. Malka Roth, 15, of Jerusalem;

8. Mordechai Schijveschuurder, 43, of Neria;

9. Tzira Schijveschuurder, 41, of Neria;

10. Raiya Schijveschuurder, 14, of Neria;

11. Avraham Yitzhak Schijveschuurder, 4, of Neria;

12. Chemda Schijveschuurder, 2, of Neria;

13. Lily Shimashvili, 33, of Jerusalem;

14. Tamara Shimashvili, 8, of Jerusalem;

15. Yocheved Shoshan, 10, of Jerusalem.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)