Post by Parador~J on Apr 20, 2007 10:35:34 GMT -5
By Yaakov Katz, Special for USA Today
RANNANA, Israel — Some knew Liviu Librescu from his childhood years in Romania, others from his days as a professor at Tel Aviv University. There were those who had never met him but heard of his courage and decided to pay their respects to a man who in death had turned into a legend.
On Friday, hundreds of people flocked to a small cemetery outside this central Israeli city to pay last respects to the Israeli Holocaust survivor and engineering professor who saved his students on Monday during the brutal massacre that claimed the lives of 32 people at Virginia Tech University.
Liviu Librescu
All of the classes in statistics and composites are over now," Librescu's son Arieh said at his eulogy. "Now you are starting a new career teaching heroism and millions of people are busy studying."
Witnesses to Monday's shooting rampage said Librescu had barricaded the door to his classroom with his body so his students could escape through the window. The 76-year-old Romanian-born professor was then shot to death by the gunman, Cho Seung Hui.
During the service, held in an open courtyard near the cemetery, Librescu's body lay on a stretcher wrapped — in accordance with Jewish tradition — in a prayer shawl, while family, friends and colleagues eulogized him.
Journalists from around the world covered the funeral and the Israeli government sent a representative.
Gheorghe Angelecu, on behalf of Romanian President Traian Basescu, bestowed on Librescu's widow Marlene the Star of Romania in honor of her husband's bravery and contributions to science. Angelecu said it was the first time the medal — the highest in Romania — was awarded to a civilian. It is usually bestowed on world leaders and has, he said, been given in the past to the prime ministers of Italy, Spain and France.
Yitzhak Gutman Ben-Zvi, a former professor of engineering at Tel Aviv University in Israel, grew up with Librescu in Romania and studied with him engineering in Bucharest in the 1950s. He called his friend a "giant in his field."
Ben-Zvi said that he succeeded in getting permission to immigrate to Israel in 1950 but that Romanian authorities prevented Librescu from joining him since he was involved in the development of a fighter jet that was deemed top secret. In 1978, Ben-Zvi said, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin intervened on Librescu's behalf and convinced the Romanian government to allow the Jewish aeronautics expert to immigrate to Israel where he taught at Tel Aviv University and the Technion in Haifa.
Librescu, was a world-renowned specialist in composite structures and aeronautics, went to Virginia Tech in 1985 for what was to be a one-year sabbatical but stayed on after receiving a full-time position.
Following the service, the Chabad Movement announced plans to erect a Jewish student center in Librescu's name at Virginia Tech.
Marlene, Librescu's widow, wept during her eulogy and called on her husband to safeguard their children from up in heaven.
"I did not only lose a husband but also a best friend," she said.
Librescu's son Joe expressed regret over not asking his father more questions about his past. He said his father was sent to an internment camp near Focsani, Romania, when he was 10 for the duration of the Holocaust.
"They're asking me today about your past, and I don't know what to tell them," he said. "What I do know is that I am proud of you and that today when I walked down the street I held my head up high."
"Sometimes I didn't hear you, but my ears are now wide open to your legacy of doing the best and reaching for the moon," Joe continued, finishing his eulogy with the words: "Goodbye, father."
RANNANA, Israel — Some knew Liviu Librescu from his childhood years in Romania, others from his days as a professor at Tel Aviv University. There were those who had never met him but heard of his courage and decided to pay their respects to a man who in death had turned into a legend.
On Friday, hundreds of people flocked to a small cemetery outside this central Israeli city to pay last respects to the Israeli Holocaust survivor and engineering professor who saved his students on Monday during the brutal massacre that claimed the lives of 32 people at Virginia Tech University.
Liviu Librescu
All of the classes in statistics and composites are over now," Librescu's son Arieh said at his eulogy. "Now you are starting a new career teaching heroism and millions of people are busy studying."
Witnesses to Monday's shooting rampage said Librescu had barricaded the door to his classroom with his body so his students could escape through the window. The 76-year-old Romanian-born professor was then shot to death by the gunman, Cho Seung Hui.
During the service, held in an open courtyard near the cemetery, Librescu's body lay on a stretcher wrapped — in accordance with Jewish tradition — in a prayer shawl, while family, friends and colleagues eulogized him.
Journalists from around the world covered the funeral and the Israeli government sent a representative.
Gheorghe Angelecu, on behalf of Romanian President Traian Basescu, bestowed on Librescu's widow Marlene the Star of Romania in honor of her husband's bravery and contributions to science. Angelecu said it was the first time the medal — the highest in Romania — was awarded to a civilian. It is usually bestowed on world leaders and has, he said, been given in the past to the prime ministers of Italy, Spain and France.
Yitzhak Gutman Ben-Zvi, a former professor of engineering at Tel Aviv University in Israel, grew up with Librescu in Romania and studied with him engineering in Bucharest in the 1950s. He called his friend a "giant in his field."
Ben-Zvi said that he succeeded in getting permission to immigrate to Israel in 1950 but that Romanian authorities prevented Librescu from joining him since he was involved in the development of a fighter jet that was deemed top secret. In 1978, Ben-Zvi said, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin intervened on Librescu's behalf and convinced the Romanian government to allow the Jewish aeronautics expert to immigrate to Israel where he taught at Tel Aviv University and the Technion in Haifa.
Librescu, was a world-renowned specialist in composite structures and aeronautics, went to Virginia Tech in 1985 for what was to be a one-year sabbatical but stayed on after receiving a full-time position.
Following the service, the Chabad Movement announced plans to erect a Jewish student center in Librescu's name at Virginia Tech.
Marlene, Librescu's widow, wept during her eulogy and called on her husband to safeguard their children from up in heaven.
"I did not only lose a husband but also a best friend," she said.
Librescu's son Joe expressed regret over not asking his father more questions about his past. He said his father was sent to an internment camp near Focsani, Romania, when he was 10 for the duration of the Holocaust.
"They're asking me today about your past, and I don't know what to tell them," he said. "What I do know is that I am proud of you and that today when I walked down the street I held my head up high."
"Sometimes I didn't hear you, but my ears are now wide open to your legacy of doing the best and reaching for the moon," Joe continued, finishing his eulogy with the words: "Goodbye, father."