Goodbye, Rose

September 11, 2008 - 1:08 PM by David

Was it first Israeli prime minister David Ben Gurion who said something like – “I will know when we have a real State when we have Jews who are bus drivers and service station attendants, farmers and… prostitutes.”

And heartless murderers, evidently. Today a month-long saga which has gripped the country arrived at its inevitable conclusion when police recovered in a suitcase at the bottom of the Hayarkon River in Tel Aviv, which they suspect contains the remains of missing 4-year-old Netanya girl Rose Pizem.

The chief suspect in Rose’s death is her grandfather, Ronnie Ron, who is romantically involved with his daughter-in-law, Rose’s mother Marie. Even Dr. Phil wouldn’t deem to go anywhere near this family.

Israelis followed this case as closely as Britain has been following the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, or Americans are glued to the Caylee Anthony case. But here, it’s a little different.

We still haven’t gotten used to the fact that we’ve become a society where there are gangland shootouts in broad daylight, political corruption at the highest level, and even people who kill defenseless children. We walk around shocked at the news, saying ‘how could this happen here?’

But sadly, amid all the amazing people, advancements, culture and technology that make us proud to be Israelis, before our very eyes, Ben Gurion’s wish has become true with a vengeance that he didn’t anticipate.

I know a lot of parents that are going to thinking of Rose tonight, and be hugging their kids a little extra long and tight. Rest in peace, Rose. May your memory forever be a blessing.

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