We join with our brothers and sisters in Israel in mourning Sgt. Ron Yitzhak Kokia (z”l), 19, stabbed to death by a terrorist while waiting for a bus in Arad last night. Ron, a native of Tel Aviv, served in the Nahal Brigade, a unit based outside the southern Israeli city where he was murdered.

The assailant remains at large, with a widespread manhunt continuing in Israel today. We pray for a time when the people of Israel can live in peace and security. Our hearts go out to Ron’s family, his friends, and the many people who mourn him today. May they find comfort among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.