Ashdod, Israel – A 2-year-old chareidi boy was R”L mistakenly run over by his father, and reported in serious condition. The tragic incident occurred on Rashbi Street in Ashdod on Tuesday. The driver, the 23-year-old dad, pulled over to the side to permit his wife and the toddler to exit the vehicle. After seeing his wife get out and distance herself from the commercial vehicle, he assumed their son was safely away as well.
He put the vehicle in reverse and suddenly, his wife began to scream uncontrollably. The father stopped the vehicle immediately and they saw their son bleeding profusely on the ground as they called for EMS assistance.
The child was transported to Tel Hashomer Hospital in serious condition after efforts were made to stabilize his condition.
Tefillos are requested for Naftali Tzvi ben Nechama.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel / YWN-112)
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11 Responses
what tzaar! speedy recovery!
I hope he has a speedy recovery.
Refuah Sheleimah
I have extreme sympathy for the parents of this child and let no one challenge that here (as the father of a 1 year old baby myself.)
There is a serious problem with the driving mentality in Israel. As of this month I believe the current death toll for 2009 is about 300. Israel has a tremendous attitude problem when it comes to driving. When walking down the street, I repeatedly get cut off by aggressive drivers. Numerous times, my son has been within inches of death, by motorcycles driving on the sidewalks.
According to records, an average of over 400 people die a year on the Israeli roads. That means that over 3600 have died in the last 8 years. The arabs have killed about a third of that number during this time. Therefore, before we start hating the Arabs, I believe we have to start hating the vicious behaviour of this style of driving.
As I said earlier, I don’t think the father is to blame, but there is definitely something scary about an Israeli driver behind the wheel.
#4 That’s very scary. I’ve heard that driving and crossing streets is very dangerous in Israel. As Am Yisroel, we should learn to be more careful, every life is precious! (BTW – I also see frum drivers in the states drive like crazy)
This boy should have a Refuah Sheleimah.
I just hope this is not the start of another blood libel against the father.
RE #4: if it is as the article states, it has nothing to do with mentality. according to the article, upon seeing the mother back away from the car, the father assumed the toddler was also a safe distance away. i, living in america, would assume the same thing.
7 is right. There’s a huge problem in the US because SUVs have a notoriously large blind spot. Way too many kids have been killed because they ran after a parent to say goodbye and the parent didn’t see them
Can you update us on how this boy is doing? Thanks.
I agree with # 7 that this story could unfortunally happen anywhere in the world.
but what # 4 said is a 100% true,
I am in israel for close to 6 year now and i must say that many drivers here don’t deserve a lisence at all,
1) they don’t indicate when changing lanes, even on the highway! VERY DANGEROUS
2) they overtake other cars on the right side!
3) they go in the fast lane and stay there even if there are 100 cars behind them!
4)they honk in residential areas, whitch is AGAINST THE LAW in Israel. Yes they can and should get fined for it, Hallevay!
5)private cars (and sometimes taxi’s) go round with louspeakers in every neighberhood (Yerushalayim) till very late at night, and therefore waking up children and adults. a week ago i heard one gong round 11:30 at night! how would you like it to get woken up like that?
6) they just don’t stop at zebra crossings, you can wait there till tommorow to cross!
7) they Don’t stop honking all day long!
They say a joke about Israelis that when they go to check out a second hand car they check the horn first to see if it still works! thats the most important for them!
And their attitude of honking all day comes from no SAVLANUT as they call it here, everyone is in a rush, all times o the day. and for example if your the first one by the traffic light, and when it turns orange, just before it turns green, you already get a whole army honking at you full force!
Come on, cant life here in israel be a bit calmer?
I hope some change will happen soon, Yes we can!
And of course i hope that this boy has a speedy recovery, Im yirtze Hashem.
May no Parent go thru What His parents are going thru right now, Rachmana litzlan.