Ari Halberstam HY”D Remembered 30 Years Later

By FrumNews.com

On Friday a large crowd of family, friends, elected officials, and law enforcement members gathered on Friday at the Manhattan side ramp of the Brooklyn Bridge on the “Ari Halberstam Memorial Ramp” for the memorial event to mark the 30th Yartzeit of the terror attack that claimed the life of 16-year-old talmud Ari (Ahron Yosef) Halberstam, HY”D, who was murdered Al Kiddush Hashem.

On Yud Ches Adar 5754 (1994), Ari Halberstam was mercilessly gunned down by Rashid Baz ym”s, a Lebanese terrorist on the Brooklyn Bridge, the terrorist shot at a 15-passenger van full of Chabad Yeshiva Bucherim who were returning from the hospital where they had been Davening for the Luavitcher Rebbe’s recovery. Many of the Bucherim were injured, Williamsburg Hatzalah Paramedics responded speedily, saving the lives of many bucherim that were critically injured, Ari tragically passed away five days later on Chof Gimmel Adar.

During the memorial this past Friday, Devorah Halberstam, Ari’s mother spoke about the terror attack – and what it means 30 years later, “Today, as I stand here with you, I want to be clear: hate has seeped into our society like a plague, and we need to make changes. I have worked tirelessly for the last 30 years to do just that. We have to turn the hate and antisemitism that has a life of its own into love. I am a Yid, and the lessons of our history through the most horrific times have taught us to survive and flourish. Giving up or capitulating to grief is not an option and never will be.

“I have not seen Ari for 10,957 days, but I will always remember my firstborn child, six feet tall, with eyes that were crystal blue as the ocean and shined like two diamonds, with a basketball in one hand and a Siddur in the other, always with a smile.

“Ari was murdered and his friends were targeted because they were identifiably Jewish. Today, we need to have Jewish pride. We stand here now on holy ground. Every time I cross the bridge, I stop and say a Brocha for my son. His blood is entwined in the steel beams of this bridge. His stature was as majestic as this bridge, and this bridge needs to remind us all to accept and respect each other no matter who we are or what faith we follow.”

“My message is we will survive and hate will not win. Thank You all, Am Yisrael Chai.”

After the 1994 attacks, Mrs. Halberstam co-authored, the first New York state laws to counter terrorism with then-Governor George Pataki, which included the death penalty for the crimes of a terrorist. These were signed into law by the Governor in 2001.

Mrs. Halberstam became active in fighting antisemitism, she was appointed in 2021 by the NYPD Commissioner as Chair of the civilian-led NYPD Hate Crime Review Panel for Community Safety.

“In New York, we often say an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us; however, for our family, Ari’s murder is so much more than just a slogan. It represents all of the milestones missed: Yeshiva graduations, weddings, births, birthdays, and so many other precious life moments that we no longer have the opportunity to share and celebrate.” Shea Halberstam, Ari’s younger brother said at the event.

The Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights was dedicated in memory of Ari Halberstam HY”D.

Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office and Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit