5 victims in deadly Israel stampede were from Tri-State area

ISRAEL -- A fifth victim from the Tri-State area was killed in the stampede at a religious festival in Israel Thursday night.

21-year-old Menachem Knoblowitz of Borough Park, Brooklyn was buried just after dark Saturday night in Jerusalem.

Additionally, Israeli media is identifying 13-year-old Elazar Yitzchok Koltai as a former Passaic, New Jersey resident currently living in Jerusalem.

Of the 45 people killed at Mount Meron, at least four others were from the Tri-State area, including 19-year-old Daniel Morris of Bergenfield, New Jersey.

Josh Einiger has more on a deadly stampede in Israel that claimed at least 45 lives, at least four of which were from the Tri-State area.

At least 10 of the victims were children.

There are growing calls for the establishment of an official commission of inquiry to figure out how such a large crowd was allowed to gather, despite repeated warnings the last few years about safety lapses.

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