Apr 25, 2008 - Eli Wasserman, 51, of Alfei Menashe, was one of two Israeli security guards killed in a shooting attack in the Nitzanei Shalom industrial park in central Israel.
The two guards, Eli Wasserman and Shimon Mizrachi, were in charge of screening Palestinians coming to work at the factory complex. Shortly after 7:00 in the morning, a terrorist managed to infiltrate into the area, opened fire at the guards at close range and fled. The Al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic JIhad organization and Izzadin al-Qassam of Hamas claimed joint responsibility for the attack.
Eli Wasserman was the manager of a plastics factory and also met and screened the Palestinian workers in the morning at the entrance to the factory complex. His friends said that he was a quiet and shy person, whose family was loved by all the community members.
His wiife Haya: "He had a special relationship with the workers and he took care of everything for them. He believed in coexistence and liked to help people." A childhood friend remembered, "His dream was to open a soup kitchen for the needy. That sounds unusual, but because of his own suffering (he lost his father and brother under tragic circumstances), he always wanted to help people. He would see a gardener working in the neighbor's yard, call him over and give him something to eat and drink."
Eli Wasserman was buried in Kibbutz Einat. He is survived by his wife, Haya, and his two children, 30-year-old Ahiad and 28-year-old Michal.