The IDF soldier who was seriously injured in the ramming attack in Jerusalem last week is Ori Hamond, a lone soldier from San Diego who made aliyah last year and joined the IDF in November.

Hamond was part of a group of Golani soldiers on an overnight heritage trip of Jerusalem ahead of their swearing-in ceremony at the Kosel on Thursday morning, when an East Jerusalem resident rammed his car into the group, injuring 12.

Hamond’s father, who had flown in from the States to attend the swearing-in ceremony as a surprise for his son instead found himself rushing to his son’s bedside.

Hammond’s mother, Chagit Cohen-Hamo, who teaches Hebrew at the San Diego Jewish Academy, also flew to Israel to be at her son’s bedside after hearing about the attack.

A crowdfunding campaign to raise $1,800 for Cohen-Hamo’s traveling expenses to Israel to be with her injured son was closed after raising $10,000 in 24 hours, a Times of Israel report said.

Immediately following the attack, Hamond was hospitalized in critical but stable condition in the ICU, unconscious and on a respirator. His condition has slowly improved and he was weaned off the respirator by Sunday. He also underwent surgery on Sunday to repair fractures in his jaw at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center.

Dr. Itai Ze’evi, a maxillofacial surgeon at Hadassah Ein Kerem, reported that the surgery was successful and Hamond’s condition is good.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)