Bnei Akiva Branch in Petah Tikva Honors Slain Member with New Torah Scroll

A new Torah scroll was dedicated on Thursday at the Bnei Akiva Malbas branch in Petah Tikva in memory of Yimno Benjamin Zelka, who was murdered on Independence Day night while working at a pizzeria. Zelka, who would have turned 21 around the time of the dedication, was a longtime member, counselor, and youth coordinator at the branch. His friends and fellow members initiated the project during the shiva mourning period to create a lasting tribute.

Over several months, the group raised approximately 90,000 shekels to fund the writing of the new Torah scroll, which replaced an older one used by the branch. The initiative was supported by the Petah Tikva municipality, the Zelka family, and the "Menazchim" association. The final letters of the Torah were written at the Zelka family home, where a memorial ceremony was held before a celebratory procession with singing and dancing led the scroll to the Bnei Akiva branch.

The event was attended by Zelka's family, friends, current and former branch members, branch coordinator Sapir Atlas, representatives of Bnei Akiva's national leadership, and the mayor of Petah Tikva. Bnei Akiva Secretary General Yigal Klein praised Zelka's significant role in the branch and highlighted how his friends transformed their grief into a meaningful act of remembrance and continuity. Klein emphasized that the Torah scroll will keep Zelka's memory and values alive within the community.