Roi Haim Eliraz

June 11, 2003 - Roi Haim Eliraz, 22, of Mevaseret Zion was one of 17 people killed in a suicide bombing on bus No. 14A on Jaffa Road in the center of Jerusalem.

At around 17:30, the bomber, dressed as an ultra-Orthodox Jew, boarded Egged bus No. 14A at the Mahane Yehuda market, and a short while later, as the bus drove down Jaffa Road near the Davidka Square, detonated his bomb, wrecking the bus and killing 16 of its passengers. Over 100 people were wounded, including dozens of passersby. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

Roi Eliraz was born in Eilat where his father, Meir, was stationed during his army service, but spent most of his life in Mevaseret Zion, outside Jerusalem. He graduated from the local Harel High School and served in the air force. Roi was planning to study electrical engineering and refrigeration, and in the meantime was working as a security guard. He was on his way to work at the Mifgash Hasheikh restaurant in Talpiot when he was killed.

Roi was a born mimic and played soccer with the local youth club. His father said, "When they asked me at Abu Kabir [the forensic institute] how to identify him, I told them to look for the tallest boy with the largest muscles."

Roi Eliraz was buried in Jerusalem. He is survived by his parents, Meir and Irit, his 18-year-old brother, and twin sisters, 13.