28-Jul-13: Frimet Roth's words at Malki's graveside on the 12th anniversary of the Sbarro massacre

Malki (left) and her mother, Frimet, April 2001

This afternoon in Jerusalem, commencing at 5 pm, the friends and families of Malki Roth and Michal Raziel will gather to mourn their lost lives. Frimet Roth, Malki's mother, will deliver a brief speech in Hebrew [text here; עברית כאן]. The following is its translation into English.

...

Malki, know that even though we appear to be living so-called normal lives, celebrating happy events and laughing, the longing to be with you once again, to hug you, to kiss you as we so loved to do, remains tremendously strong. The pain that your murder evokes in us remains as heavy as ever, as deep as it was on that most bitter of days twelve years ago.

And now, during these past two years, an additional dimension to that suffering has emerged: the sheer injustice brought upon us by the state so loved by you, by Michal and by so many other victims.

On this difficult day, we have learned of an additional release of killers which our prime minister is very determined to carry out.

Forgive me for saying it this way, but justice – the justice to which you were so entitled – appears not to interest our current leaders.

Justice for you, Malki, was a most important value.

In your terribly short life, you made every possible effort in your power to alleviate some of the injustice that afflicts the lives of children with disabilities, wherever you encountered them. Whether in the special-needs class at your school, Horeb. Whether in the special-needs group in your youth organization, Ezra. Whether at the Etgarim camp for special children. Whether in the homes of our neighbors, and whether in our own home with your little sister – you always gave everything you had to improve the circumstances of those children’s lives. You would return home with your face beaming with pleasure as you recounted your experiences with them.

One of those children, suffering from a terminal syndrome, was barely able to respond to his surroundings. Yet you were so enthusiastic about the tiny smiles that appeared on his face as you sang him his favorite song.

Malki, by your personal example, you continue to teach us how to relate to others. In fact, how to live our lives.

That’s why we will go on struggling for the justice that was your right and due.

So long as we have the strength, we will continue to avail ourselves of whatever channels there are to put back behind bars the freed mass murderer who executed the killings at Sbarro.

To paraphrase the Biblical injunction (Deuteronomy/Devarim 16): Justice, justice we shall surely pursue.

May it be the Divine Will that we be blessed soon with capable leaders of good and decent character.