Steven Odzer honors the memory of his cousin, Nachshon Wachsman, on the anniversary of his kidnapping and murder 29 years ago.
BROOKLYN, NY / ACCESSWIRE / NOVEMBER 9, 2023 / Nachshon Wachsman grew up in Jerusalem with his seven brothers. His father was born in Israel, while his mother came from Germany and settled in Brooklyn. Nachshon served as a soldier in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces).
When Nachshon was 19 years old, he was on leave from the military and was instructed to attend a one-day training in northern Israel. He followed the instructions and left for his training on Saturday night, with his family expecting him back on Sunday night, October 9, 1994.
On his way back home, Nachshon tried to hitchhike or catch a bus at the Bnai Atarot junction, as many Israeli soldiers do. Sadly, he never made it back home. According to Israeli Intelligence, Hamas militants kidnapped Nachshon as he tried to catch a ride. Witnesses saw him entering a car with four men wearing kippahs to avoid suspicion. The kidnappers even had religious items like a Tanakh and siddur, and they played Chassidic music.
Once Nachshon was in the car, the kidnappers overpowered him and drove to the Palestinian town of Bir Nabala, just six miles northwest of Jerusalem. Two days after the kidnapping, the militants released a video where they identified Nachshon and demanded the release of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and 200 other prisoners from Israeli jails. They threatened to execute Nachshon if their demands were not met.
Nachshon's parents reached out to world leaders, including Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, President Bill Clinton, and Muslim religious leaders, begging for their assistance in rescuing their son. The Israeli military managed to capture the driver of the kidnappers' car and interrogated him to determine Nachshon's location. With this information, they planned a rescue mission.
Unfortunately, the rescue mission did not go as planned. Technical difficulties and faulty explosives caused the operation to fail. The element of surprise was lost, and the kidnappers barricaded Nachshon behind a solid steel door that the explosives couldn't open. The failed explosion led to a heavy exchange of gunfire. When the Israeli military finally reached Nachshon, they discovered that he had been shot by his kidnappers.
This tragic loss deeply affected Steven Odzer and his entire extended family. They will forever honor the memory of Nachshon Wachsman.
CONTACT:
Steven Odzer
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+1 2566429183
SOURCE: Steven Odzer