October 4: The Bombing of Maxim

Twenty-one Israelis, both Jewish and Arab, were killed in a suicide bombing of a restaurant, Maxim, in Haifa on this date in 2003. This beachfront restaurant, co-owned by Jews and Christian Arabs, was known as a symbol of coexistence in this most integrated of Israeli cities. The bomber was a woman, Hanadi Jaradat, a 29-year-old lawyer from Jenin whose brother, cousin and fiancé had all been killed by Israeli security forces. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing. Maxim was rebuilt and remains open today.

“Blood of Jews and Arabs was spilled and intermingled in this place — and so [our] joint fate will be, for better or for worse.”
—Sharbel Mattar, co-owner