My name is Reuven Shmerling. And I am 70 years old. I come from a proud heritage – and am a direct descendant of the great Alter Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi! I live with my wife Chana and operate a business with my son. Chana and I have four beautiful children and 19 gorgeous grandchildren. My birthday is in a few days, and we are a planning on having the entire family get together.
On October 4, 2017, two Palestinian terrorists, 20 year old Youssef Khaled Mustafa Kamil and 19 year old Mohammed Zeyad Abu al-Rob, stabbed and bludgeoned me to death in the warehouse owned by my family. Ironically, the two Palestinians crossed illegally into Israel from the village of Qabatiya back in September. They traveling to the Arab-Israeli city of Kfar Qasim, where our business is located. 
Without reservation, we are always looking to support the local Arab community and often employ young men like them. Although they did not have papers, we hired them to work with us anyway. We even allowing them to stay at the warehouse since they were homeless. Often, my son Shai says I have endless faith in all human beings.
But on this October day, after I had arrived in the morning to meet with my employees, I was attacked with a knife from behind. Unbelievably, the terrorists were men for whom I had done everything I could to help. Without mercy, they knocked me down with a chair, beating me unconscious with an axe and a fan. As I lay there bleeding to death, they filmed me dying with their cell phones before fleeing back over the border.
When they were arrested, they lied. Surprisingly (and inaccurately), they claimed to be avenging the death of a friend who had been killed by an Israeli security officer – while attempting a terrorist attack. Sadly, my family still gathered for my birthday, but instead, buried me in Elkana.
My name is Reuven Shmerling. And I am 70 years old. And I am one of #TheFallenFaces.
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