Son of Israeli Woman Killed in Berlin Truck-Ramming Attack Last Week Lights Menorah at Brandenburg Gate

Barney Breen-Portnoy

The Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony in Berlin on Tuesday. Photo: Channel 10 screenshot.

The son of the Israeli woman who was killed in last week’s truck-ramming attack in Berlin lit the giant menorah at the Brandenburg Gate on Tuesday to mark the fourth night of Hanukkah.

Or Elyakim’s mother, 60-year-old Dalia, was one of the 12 victims of Tunisian-born Islamist terrorist Anis Amri, who was killed in a shootout with police in Italy four days after the attack at a popular outdoor Christmas market in the German capital.

Rami Elyakim, Or’s father, was seriously wounded in the attack and is still hospitalized in Berlin.

At Tuesday’s Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony, Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal said, according to the Hebrew language Ynet news site, “The attack we experienced last week was a despicable act aimed at three religions alike; it was aimed at the democratic world and against values like peace and tolerance.”

“The attack was meant to perpetuate darkness,” he continued. “And today we celebrate Hanukkah, the essence of which is the complete opposite, since the message of Hanukkah is the victory of light and spirit over darkness. The Jews are well-versed in persecution. We were persecuted by the Greeks and we were persecuted right here in Germany 75 years ago, but we stand resolute and declare that darkness will never overcome light. Our answer to acts of terror and evil is the unity and solidarity we see here.”

In an interview with The Algemeiner a day after last week’s attack, Rabbi Teichtal said the atmosphere in Berlin was one of “total shock.”

“People are trying to come to terms with what happened, take the necessary security precautions and understand that there is a new reality,” he said.