San Diego Jewish World staff report
BEERSHEBA, Israel — Daniel Viflich, 16, whose misfortune it was to be innocently riding a school bus on Thursday, April 7, has died of the severe injuries he sustained after an anti-tank missile was fired at the bus from Gaza.
Viflich died in the Soroka University Medical Center here, and was buried latger on Sunday at Ramat Beit Shemesh.
The school bus had just dropped off students at Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the Sha’ar Hanegev municipality when the missile slammed into it, severely injuring Viflich who was the remaining passenger. The school bus driver, Zion Yemini, was dazed but not otherwise injured.
Later visited by Israel’s President Shimon Peres, Yemini said in deep grief he could not understgand why he was unable to protect Viflich.
The boy had grown up on Kibbutz Ruhama, where his grandmother still lives, but had moved away to Ramat Beit Shemesh after his parents decided upon a more religious lifestyle. On a visit to his grandmother, he decided to accompany Yemini on his bus rounds so he ride from Sha’ar Hanegev High School with former friends.
After Viflich was injured prayers for his recovery were offered not only in Israel but also in San Diego, where the Jewish Federation is a partnership agency for the Sha’ar Hanegev municipality.
Ulla Hadar, a correspondent from Kibbutz Ruhama, wrote: “Regretfully I have to inform you and the congregation of San Diego that Daniel Viflich, 16 years, the son of Ishak passed away this afternoon after he was injured n the direct rocket attack on the school bus of Sha’ar Hanegev, near Kibbutz Nahal Oz. He is, while I write this, being buried in his hometown of Ramat Beit Shemesh.”