On April 7, 1980, at 18:15, Ilan Halevi closed the doors of his bus and set out on his daily route from Tel Aviv to Ashkelon. In the bus were 41 passengers who never imagined that in less than an hour they would be thrust into a nightmarish adventure that would change their lives forever. Some would reluctantly become the heroes of the affair that rattled Israeli society for many years. In many ways the bus passengers were a microcosm of the colorful and diverse Israeli society. Residents of moshavs, kibbutz members, city folk, new immigrants and Sabras of almost all ethnic origins. Among them was Irit Portuguese, a soldier in the Intelligence Corps who will later turn out to be a levelheaded person with the endless ability to give. She was so excited after her boyfriend proposed to her and was creating scenarios in her mind of the new life she would lead after her impending release from the army.