Killing of Alisa Flatow


Alisa Flatow was an American Jewish student who was killed in the Islamic Jihad suicide bombing known as the Kfar Darom bus attack in 1995.

Biography

Alisa Michelle Flatow was born in West Orange, New Jersey. Her father, Stephen Flatow, is a lawyer. She attended the Frisch School in Paramus, New Jersey and Brandeis University. During the 1995 spring semester she was participating in a Jewish study program at Nishmat in Israel. She was on her way to the beach in Gush Katif with two friends when a man rammed their bus and detonated a bomb in his vehicle.
After Flatow died of fatal head wounds at Soroka Medical Center, her family donated her heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas and corneas to save the lives of others. Thousands of people attended the memorial service in her honor at Congregation Ahavas Achim B'nai Jacob and David in West Orange, New Jersey.

Lawsuit

In 1998 a Federal district judge ordered the Government of Iran to pay $247.5 million in damages to Flatow’s family.
Evidence produced by her father, Stephen Flatow, led to an investigation that resulted in a $8.9 billion fine being levied against BNP Paribas bank in June 2014 for processing Iranian financial transactions.

Family

In 2008 Alisa’s brother, Etan, enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces.

Commemoration

The Alisa M. Flatow Yeshiva High School was named in her honor. The Alisa Flatow Memorial Scholarship provides funds for students who wish to pursue traditional Jewish studies. Nishmat named its program of studies for overseas students in her honor, the Alisa Flatow International Program.