It was January 27, 2002, the last day of the Sokolows’ vacation in Jerusalem. They purchased some shoes at a store near their hotel and as they exited the store, a bomb went off. A female suicide bomber had detonated her explosive belt, killing one man and injuring more than 100 people, including the Sokolows.

Rena Sokolow was hospitalized for 10 days and required extensive surgery; it took her five months to walk again. Her husband, Mark Sokolow, suffered damage to his eardrums. Their daughter Jamie, 12 at the time, was hospitalized for a week with shrapnel wounds to her face and eyes. She still suffers a loss of vision because of glass that lodged in her eye. Daughter Lauren, then 16, stayed in the hospital for three days with shrapnel wounds and burns, resulting in permanent scars on her hands and face.

Adding insult to injury was the money the Saudi Committee for Support of the Al-Quds Intifada deposited about $5,000 into the family of the suicide bomber’s Arab Bank account, Mr. Sokolow said at a meeting in New York on Monday of the Congressional Anti-Terrorist Financing Task Force. He was one of four people – three victims and the mother of a quadriplegic victim, who all suffered at the hands of suicide bombers in Israel – who spoke at the forum.

The four attendees and their families have come together before, as plaintiffs along with about 46 other survivors and heirs of American victims of terrorist attacks in Israel in two related lawsuits against the Arab Bank. The suits allege that the bank had provided financial services to terrorists or their surviving families. On September 2, a federal judge, Nina Gershon, of the Eastern District of New York denied the bank’s motion to dismiss the cases.

Sponsored by Rep. Sue Kelly, a Republican of New York, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat of New York, the forum was called to challenge the role of the Saudi Arabian charities in financing terrorism, question the actions of the American government in putting a stop to the support of the charities, discuss the Arab Bank case, and discuss how to improve initiatives to stop terror- funding networks.

A spokesman for the Arab Bank, James Dau, said the bank would not comment on the forum. In a statement released after the September court ruling,the bank said, “The bank abhors terrorism and has not, and would not, knowingly or willfully support terrorism.”

Ms. Maloney said she hoped all of Congress could hear the testimonies of the victims and survivors. “Earlier this year, the Financial Services Committee held hearings on terror financing,” Ms. Maloney said. “I and other Financial Services Committee members had hoped to include in those hearings the perspective of victims of terror seeking justice from Arab Bank for supporting and financing terrorism. But as I understand it, the Treasury Department declined to appear and testify about that investigation on the basis that it was ongoing. So I am particularly glad that we have this opportunity to hear from these courageous Americans today.”

Ms. Maloney was a sponsor of a bill introduced in July that directs the Secretary of the Treasury to release certain documents and information relating to the Arab Bank.

Ms. Kelly was a lead sponsor and author of legislation introduced in April that would require the Treasury Department to submit an annual written certification to Congress detailing the efforts that foreign nations have made to assist in efforts to combat terrorist financing.

While Ms. Kelly commended King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for his efforts to stop terrorism financing, she criticized the king, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and other countries for not effectively stemming the support of terrorism. “There are things we can do,” Ms. Kelly said, “but it takes initiative from the federal government.”

The majority whip, Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, said he hoped the hearing would be “a first step.”