Sometimes, trouble comes in bunches. I spent most of the past week in Pittsburgh, with my friend who was sitting shiva for her father. While I was there, I got the news of three other deaths that touched me deeply.
I'm not sure how many pro-Israel bloggers are aware of the debt we owe to Dr. Joseph Lerner (z"l), co-founder and co-director of IMRA, together with his son Aaron. For over a decade, Joe's asute commentary and careful collections of excerpts from Arab news sources have informed my own views of the Middle East and its various conflicts. Before MEMRI, before Palestinian Media Watch, there was IMRA, keeping an eye on events, interviews, polls, public announcements and media coverage affecting Israel and reporting it to anyone who might be interested.
Joe Lerner died Sunday morning at Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem, almost two months after suffering a massive brain hemorrhage. Following a long and illustrious career in energy economics in the U.S., where his support of Israel was always vocal and persistent, he made aliyah in 1986. He was not a man to tout his own accomplishments, but you can find a bit of his life story in today's WaPo obituary. He will be sorely missed by many.
Daniel Wultz also succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, less than a month after having been critically wounded in the latest terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, the vermin responsible for his death celebrated, calling it "a gift from Allah."
Lior Anidzar, another victim of the same attack, passed away on Shabbat. Ironically, now the media coverage is getting a little better.
They will all be remembered with great fondness by all those whose lives they touched. May their memories be for a blessing.
Shabbat Shalom.
