Mother, 57, dies after she and daughter hit by car

A 57 year-old mother is dead and her daughter recovering in the hospital after they were both hit by a car Friday night while crossing the street in Mandarin.

Esther Ohayon and her daughter were hit at the intersection of San Jose Boulevard and Haley Road on their way to attend a Yom Kippur service at a synagogue.  Ohayon’s daughter, 16, was taken to UF Health with life-threatening injuries, but members of the Jewish community tell our partner Action News she’s now expected to be okay.

“Many, many people in our congregation were very, very deeply affected and moved by that,” says Jacksonville Jewish Center member Marco Rand.  “It’s a very tragic time.”

On Yom Kippur, synagogue members cannot use electronics, cars, or even crosswalk buttons for crossing intersections.

“There’s to be no work, no driving that includes going to and from synagogue,” Rand says.  “They were probably walking to Etz Chaim Synagogue.”

He says right now, during one of the holiest days of the year, the Jewish community will pray for Esther Ohayon and her family.

Many people also tell Action News they hope there will be changes at these intersections, whether that will be adding the bridge over the roadway, or extending the length of time pedestrians have to cross.