HaBonim disaster
Encyclopedia
The HaBonim disaster, which occurred on June 11, 1985, was an accident in which a train crashed into a bus, transporting students from the Y.H. Brenner
middle school
in Petach Tikva on their annual field trip
, near Moshav
HaBonim
. 22 people were killed: 19 students, a teacher, the bus driver, and a parent. This was the worst train accident in the history of the State of Israel, and the second worst ever in the land of Israel (on September 17, 1939, 29 people were killed in a similar accident in Tzrifin
).
Rumors of the victims' identity circulated before the name of the school affected was released for publication. One father was even told that his daughter had been killed; only hours later did he learn that she was not involved. Ha'aretz newspaper
reported:
It was decided to hold a government funeral for the victims, in which the President
and Prime Minister
participated.
The disaster happened shortly before the beginning of summer
vacation, and schools tried to return to studies in the remaining days, according to the recommendation of psychologists. A suggestion to lengthen the school year was made, but not adopted.
Several investigative committees were created after the accident. The first, led by Professor
Moshe Livneh of the Technion, found that the bus's mechanical condition had been good. The issue of signage was checked as well. A committee led by Judge
Ezra Kama recommended clear signage at train crossings and the placement of barriers.
The train operator, Shlomo Somech, returned to work ten days after the accident. In 1987 he was indicted for his role in the accident, but in 1989 he was found not responsible. Afterwards he discussed his life following the accident: "I am a dead person. A person breathing but not living. Time does not pass with me."
Survivors of the accident who needed continuing medical treatment fought the Egged
bus company for compensation.
, a government minister
from the Shas
party
, linked the train accident to Sabbath
violation in Petach Tikva which was then the subject of controversy. Other rabbis later issued statements on the subject: some expressed a view similar to Peretz's, while others said they saw the attempt to understand God's intentions as pretentious. Outraged parents of the victims unsuccessfully lobbied Prime Minister Shimon Peres
to fire Peretz.
In 1989 the dirt road at the crossing was upgraded with asphalt paving. In 1990 crossing lights and an automatic barrier were built.
In 2006, due to the public reaction to the Revadim disaster and Beit Yehoshua train accident, Israel Railways
accelerated its plan to minimize train-road interactions. Towards the end of this year, a contract was awarded for the building of grade separation at the HaBonim crossing.
In 2001, the father of a victim committed suicide
at the crossing, where his daughter had died fifteen years previously.
Yosef Haim Brenner
Yosef Haim Brenner was a Russian-born Hebrew-language author, one of the pioneers of modern Hebrew literature.-Biography:Brenner was born to a poor Jewish family in Novi Mlini, Russian Empire...
middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
in Petach Tikva on their annual field trip
Field trip
A field trip or excursion, known as school trip in the UK and school tour in Ireland, is a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment...
, near Moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
HaBonim
HaBonim, Israel
HaBonim is a moshav shitufi in northern Israel. Located 5 km south of Atlit and 3 km north of Kibbutz Nahsholim, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaCarmel Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 259....
. 22 people were killed: 19 students, a teacher, the bus driver, and a parent. This was the worst train accident in the history of the State of Israel, and the second worst ever in the land of Israel (on September 17, 1939, 29 people were killed in a similar accident in Tzrifin
Tzrifin
Tzrifin is an area in Gush Dan in central Israel, located on the eastern side of Rishon LeZion and including parts of Be'er Ya'akov. The area proper is defined as an 'area without jurisdiction' between the two cities....
).
Reactions in Israel
The disaster shocked the nation, both because of its scale and the young age of the victims.Rumors of the victims' identity circulated before the name of the school affected was released for publication. One father was even told that his daughter had been killed; only hours later did he learn that she was not involved. Ha'aretz newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
reported:
Spontaneous conversations on the topic broke out in stores, streets and bus stations between individuals who did not know each other. It seemed that it was impossible not to identify with the families' mourning, and that people felt the need to talk with each other about the subject.
It was decided to hold a government funeral for the victims, in which the President
President of Israel
The President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
and Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
participated.
The disaster happened shortly before the beginning of summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
vacation, and schools tried to return to studies in the remaining days, according to the recommendation of psychologists. A suggestion to lengthen the school year was made, but not adopted.
Several investigative committees were created after the accident. The first, led by Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Moshe Livneh of the Technion, found that the bus's mechanical condition had been good. The issue of signage was checked as well. A committee led by Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Ezra Kama recommended clear signage at train crossings and the placement of barriers.
The train operator, Shlomo Somech, returned to work ten days after the accident. In 1987 he was indicted for his role in the accident, but in 1989 he was found not responsible. Afterwards he discussed his life following the accident: "I am a dead person. A person breathing but not living. Time does not pass with me."
Survivors of the accident who needed continuing medical treatment fought the Egged
Egged Bus Cooperative
Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd , a cooperative owned by its members is the largest transit bus company in Israel. It provides about 55 % of public transport services throughout the country, employs 6,227 workers and has 2,861 buses for more than 928 service routes and 3,103...
bus company for compensation.
Religious-secular relations
Two weeks after the disaster, religious-secular relations in Israel suffered a severe wound when Yitzhak PeretzYitzhak Peretz (politician born 1938)
Rabbi Yitzhak Haim Peretz is a former Israeli politician who held several ministerial portfolios during the 1980s and early 1990s.-Biography:...
, a government minister
Cabinet of Israel
The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body composed of government officials called ministers, chosen and led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister must appoint members based on the distribution of votes to political parties during legislative elections, and its composition must be approved by a...
from the Shas
Shas
Shas is an ultra-orthodox religious political party in Israel, primarily representing Sephardic and Mizrahi Haredi Judaism.Shas was founded in 1984 by dissident members of the Ashkenazi dominated Agudat Israel, to represent the interests of religiously observant Sephardic and Mizrahi ...
party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, linked the train accident to Sabbath
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
violation in Petach Tikva which was then the subject of controversy. Other rabbis later issued statements on the subject: some expressed a view similar to Peretz's, while others said they saw the attempt to understand God's intentions as pretentious. Outraged parents of the victims unsuccessfully lobbied Prime Minister Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
to fire Peretz.
Later events
A memorial was constructed at the spot, using rails from the train tracks with the victims' names inscribed on them. But in 2004 it was discovered that metal thieves had stolen the rails from the memorial.In 1989 the dirt road at the crossing was upgraded with asphalt paving. In 1990 crossing lights and an automatic barrier were built.
In 2006, due to the public reaction to the Revadim disaster and Beit Yehoshua train accident, Israel Railways
Israel Railways
Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
accelerated its plan to minimize train-road interactions. Towards the end of this year, a contract was awarded for the building of grade separation at the HaBonim crossing.
In 2001, the father of a victim committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at the crossing, where his daughter had died fifteen years previously.