An 18-year-old with friends and family in Connecticut was among five people killed in a pair of attacks by Palestinians - one in Tel Aviv and another in the West Bank on Thursday.
Ezra Schwartz, of Sharon, Massachusetts, was studying in Israel on a gap year between high school and college when he was killed in a shooting and vehicle attack in the West Bank. Six others were injured. It was one of two attacks to happen in Israel on Thursday. The first happened in Tel Aviv. Two Israeli men were stabbed to death in that attack.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal released a statement, saying Schwartz's family and friends in the New Haven and Stamford areas are in mourning and a statement on the Website for the Westville Synagogue in New Haven says Schwartz is the grandson of members of the synagogue.
"We are shattered by the terrible news of the murder of Ezra Schwartz (z"l), grandson of Heni and Mark Schwartz, in a terror attack today in Alon Shvut, Israel. Our hearts go out to the entire family and our prayers are with them," Rabbi Fred Hyman wrote in an online post. "I have no words to describe the shock and horror of this unfathomable tragedy. We look to Hashem and each other for strength and support to get us through this."
Schwartz, who was involved in the youth group at Temple Israel in Sharon, was reportedly on his way back from bringing food to soldiers in the West Bank at the time of the attack.
“Once again, violence against innocent Israeli citizens perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists tragically took the life of 18-year-old Ezra Schwartz, a young man whose death leaves hopes and dreams unrealized and grieving family and friends in Massachusetts and Connecticut, particularly the New Haven and Stamford areas. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Mr. Schwartz," Blumenthal said.
Local
"The entire Maimonides School community is profoundly saddened as we mourn the tragic loss of our recent graduate Ezra Schwartz, Class of 2015, who was murdered in a terrorist attack today in Israel. Ezra was spending his gap year studying in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ezra's family, classmates and friends.
I
