My name is Bat-Chen Shahak. And I am 15 years old. I was born in Ra’nana on Purim, a joyous festival for the Jewish people. I am passionate about writing and, “even in sad moments when I am angry and nervous, the diary makes my life much more beautiful.”
I believe that we can all live together in peace and I participate in a pen pal program with a Palestinian girl my age from Kfar Kassem. I hope our friendship will one day help bridges between our people. I am also a proud member of the Scouts and Matnas and love spending time in the capital city, Jerusalem!
On March 3, 1996, four friends and I traveled to Tel Aviv for my 15th birthday. We were supposed to head home in the afternoon, but my parents gave me permission to stay an extra day. On March 4, the group of us made plans to go to the mall at the Diezengoff Center, where crowds had gathered, dressed in costumes, to celebrate this festive holiday. Because of the ongoing bombings here and in Jerusalem, we figured it was safer to take a cab instead of the bus. We arrived ahead of schedule and as we crossed the street towards the mall, Abdel-Rahim Ishaq – a 24 year old Palestinian terrorist from Ramallah in the West Bank – detonated a suicide bomb.
I was instantly killed along with 13 other innocent victims enjoying their Sunday afternoon celebrating Purim in the streets of Tel Aviv.
My name is Bat-chen Shahak. I am 15 years old. And I am one of the #TheFallenFaces.
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