Devorah Halberstam: The Day My 16-Year-Old Son Was Killed for Being Jewish
Meaningful People
Meaningful Minute
4.8 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 26 July 2025
⏱️ 76 minutes
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Summary
She Lost Her Son in a Terror Attack on the Brooklyn Bridge – Deborah Halberstam’s Story
In this deeply emotional and powerful episode, Deborah Halberstam shares the heartbreaking story of her son Ari Halberstam, a 16-year-old yeshiva student who was murdered in a 1994 terror attack on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Deborah recounts Ari’s unique upbringing, his deep connection to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and the chilling events leading up to the attack that took his life. She opens up about her personal grief, her years-long battle for justice, and how she transformed tragedy into activism—shaping counterterrorism policies and founding the Jewish Children’s Museum in Ari’s memory.
This is more than a story of loss—it's a story of strength, legacy, and the unwavering spirit of a mother who refused to let her son be forgotten.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | It is live. It is up right now. Right now, the meaningful minute Tishabov documentary. Homeless, our first ever feature film is available to be watched. Yes, a week before Tishabov. It is there for you. Head to 9 of.com plus. |
| 0:16.1 | www. 9 of 9av. Plus link below in the show notes, hit that link and get your hands on this documentary. |
| 0:25.1 | It is unbelievable. It is by far the greatest thing I've ever created in my entire life. And I want |
| 0:30.0 | you to watch it. And I want you to tell me what you thought about it. So please go ahead to 9a. |
| 0:34.9 | dot plus right now. Watch this film. Feel this film in your |
| 0:38.7 | heart. This episode I sat down with Devoral Halberstam and this is something you're going to |
| 0:42.3 | feel in your heart. She lost her son Ari Halberstahn on March 1st, 1994, in a horrific tragedy that |
| 0:47.8 | took place in Brooklyn. Ari was tragically gunned down by a terrorist. Yes, you ever driving |
| 0:53.8 | between Brooklyn and the city? You see the Ari Halberstam Memorial Ramp. This is the story of Ari Halberstam. And this is his mother, DeVarer, Halberstom. I hope you enjoy this episode. This episode is sponsored by my friends at PZ Deals. Saving money never became so simple and so easy. Before you make any orders online, |
| 1:12.0 | right now, go download the PZ Deals app. It is the best app you'll have in your phone. It's the app that keeps on giving. So right before you're about to make the big Amazon order, head to PZEZE deals, say, hey, let me search these items here and see if I can get some savings. Never ever pay full price again, the Lendapiz Deals app. of course, my friends at Kolokabad, the Pushka app, Pushka.c.com. That is Pushka. That's CC forward slash meaningful. This is the Pushka app. You go give a little Sadaka, boom, in the Pushka right there. I have a one week streak going. One week every single day I've been giving on the push gap and you can have a streak as well. |
| 1:28.4 | Whose streak is going to be longer? Mine are yours? |
| 1:29.0 | I'm not sure. |
| 1:29.6 | Well, it starts by getting the, one week streak going. One week every single day I've been giving on the Pushka app and you can have |
| 1:44.3 | a streak as well. Whose streak is going to be longer? Mine are yours? I'm not sure. Well, it starts by getting the app on your phone. Pushka.combe.combeau-Tushka app today. Now enjoy this episode. Thank you for joining me, taking the time to come here today. You know, I, for a long time, We've posted on social media many times on your son's yard site. |
| 1:43.4 | Just last year, there was a group of boys who, to come here today. You know, I, I, for a long time, we've posted on social media many times |
| 2:01.3 | on your son's yard site. Just last year, there was a group of boys who, who he's buried in |
| 2:07.2 | old Montefereyar, right? So there's a bunch of boys over there singing by his caver. |
| 2:11.9 | That was unbelievable. We posted that video. I think we collaborated with your daughter, |
| 2:14.9 | Khani, on that, and we posted that. |
| 2:17.5 | So thank you for joining me. I know it's not always going to be an easy conversation about Ari, |
| 2:23.9 | but it's an important one. It's an important one. It's an important one that people know who |
| 2:28.1 | Ari was and his legacy, she'll live on forever. And you're doing incredible work, and we're going to get to |
... |
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