Sarah Halimi's Son: 'The Terrorist Murdered My Mother and He Won't Even Stand Trial'

Four years have passed since the horrific attack where Sarah Halimi was brutally murdered by a neighbor in the building where she lived in France. Yonatan Halimi, her son living in Israel, remembers that day like it was yesterday. Not only because of the constant longing for his mother, but also because he was recently stunned to learn the French authorities do not intend to prosecute the terrorist. "It's not just that they aren't punishing him, but he's not even standing trial," he emphasizes. "It's incomprehensible."

Yonatan Halimi

Mother of Everyone

"During the hours the terrorist tortured my mother, I had no idea what was happening," Yonatan recalls that day which seemed like a nightmare. "Who could have imagined what she was going through? But the next morning, I received a phone call from a family member who informed me, 'They attacked your mother, and she's not in good condition.' Shortly after, he updated: 'She didn't survive.' From that moment, I was on autopilot, mainly focused on ensuring her burial in Israel. I used all my connections to release her body. It was clear to me that she wanted to be buried here, as she always talked about her desire to immigrate to Israel. She was so happy that as a yeshiva student, I came to study here, and after marriage, continued to live in Israel. Her plan was to join me, but she stayed in France because my sisters lived there. Today, after what happened, all my sisters already live in Israel. It hurts that she didn't get to see this and be with us."

Can you tell us a bit about your mother?

"It's hard to say just a little about her because she was a woman who did so much. She was trained as a doctor but never practiced medicine, because after earning her degree, she was offered the role of managing the Jewish daycare center in Paris, and she took on the task.

"For years she managed the center and was incredibly dedicated to the children, the parents, and the staff. Children from all branches of the Jewish community studied under her care, she embraced everyone and made sure they respected one another. After her passing, we heard numerous stories from people whose children studied under her, saying they connected to Judaism through the center because mother insisted on teaching the toddlers about Jewish holidays and Judaism. As her children, she educated us to love Judaism, tradition, and Torah. Her greatest joy was that we follow the path of the Torah and fear of Heaven.

Sarah Halimi

"Mother was a woman who cared about everyone," adds Yonatan, "and she was sensitive to the pain of ours and all those around her. I could see her losing sleep due to worries for others. She couldn't rest until she found a solution to help them. At the center, there were children with complex medical issues, and she treated them like her own kids, caring deeply for them. Parents told us how she worked hard to ensure they left with a good feeling