Jerusalem – Thousands Attend Funerals Of Victims In Friday’s Terror Attack

Jerusalem – Once again, tears and grief filled the air this afternoon as Israelis buried three more of their dead including two victims of a deadly shooting at a popular Tel Aviv pub and a taxi driver who was killed less than an hour after the attack.

As previously reported on VIN News, Alon Bekel and Shimon Ruimi were killed in the Friday afternoon terror attack at Simta, located on Rechov Dizengoff, which left seven others wounded. Amin Shaban of Ramle was found shot to death shortly thereafter.

According to reports on Yedioth Aharanoth, the 26 year old Bekel was a manager at Simta who was due to start an internship at a law office. Ruimi, who was 30 years old, was a civilian employee of the IDF who was in Tel Aviv celebrating a friend’s birthday. Police are still investigating if the murder of Shaban is connected to the Dizengoff shooting.

Approximately 2,000 people turned out in Karmiel to bid a final farewell to Alon Bekel.

“We are left here crushed while you are up in heaven with your enormous neshama,” said Bekel’s father David, in his tearful eulogy. “Aloni, Aloni, Aloni, we love you forever.”

Bekel shared the unspeakable anguish of losing a child and spoke of his son’s wisdom and sense of purpose.

“We all knew that you would go far,” said Bekel. “After your first class in college, the professor said that you were a winner. You had a love of people, a love of your nation. What royalty you were.

“We had such goodness,” added Bekel’s mother Nitza, who described her son as a prince. “Our lives overflowed with goodness, my precious son, the light of my life. My Alon. My son, who I loved with all my heart. I always carry a heavy load, but this pain, this unbearable ache, I will not be able to bear.”

Bekel’s brother Avi spoke of his brother’s determination and his uniqu ability to connect with others.

“Alon Bekel was a brand,” said Avi Bekel. “You knew how to touch people, how to make them happy, how to make them feel productive. There are not too many people who could be described as a legend, but you were one of them. You were a legend in your life. You were the center of all of your friends but none of this helps us now. We are broken and you are gone.”

Bekel’s sister in law Lior related how Bekel would collect empty plastic bottles and give them to poor people so that they could redeem them for a deposit.

“You were beautiful, inside and out, with a heart of gold. See how many people have come to accompany you. An entire nation is reading your posts [on social media] and is crying over your loss.”

Massive crowds turned out in Ofakim for the levaya of Shimon Ruimi. Ruimi’s aunt, Mor Peretz shared the family’s pain at burying someone so young.

“You died the death of the holy and have become a child to all of us,” said Peretz. “The falling rains of the last few days show how even the heavens are crying over your departure. In your life you never did anything wrong to anyone. You were an angel.”

Peretz noted that Ruimi had lived through the battles in Gaza and had survived war but had been felled by a single bullet of hatred, one that pierced the hearts of the entire Jewish nation.

“We accepted you as a gift for a time that was all too short, less than 31 years,” said Peretz. “Rest in peace, our pure and holy soul. May your memory be a blessing.”

One of Ruimi’s friends noted that Ruimi was due to turn 30 in less than a month.

“In 25 days instead of celebrating, we will cry at your grave,” said the friend. “Forgive us for not being able to save you but we promise never to forget you. We have been family for 30 years and we promise to carry on your legacy and never to forget you.”

Mayor Itzik Danino told Ruimi’s parents that all of Ofakim and the entire Jewish nation share in their loss and that they had raised a son who was a proud beacon for all of Israel.

“Shimon was killed by a bloodthirsty terrorist because he was a Jew,” said Knesset member Ofir Akunis. “While we value life, the murderers sanctify death.”

In Lod, several hundred people paid a final tribute to Amin Shaban, who leaves behind 11 children and three wives.

“He was killed in cold blood and if he would have known that his passenger was a terrorist he would have fought with him,” said one friend.

Investigations continue as police try to confirm whether or not Nashat Melhem, the perpetrator of the Dizengoff shooting who is known to have a violent past and was identified by his father, also killed Shaban.

“There are those who are trying to determine if Amin was involved in any criminal activity but that is strange because there is no connection,” said one friend who gave his name only as Ibrahim. “Amin had no enemies. He was a person who was loved by all, who got along with everyone, who was just trying to support his family honestly.”

Among those who came to pay their respects to Shaban was Shmulik Levi, who worked at the garage where Shaban would take his vehicle for repairs.

“When I heard that he was killed I was in shock,” said Levi. “I traveled yesterday to visit with the mourners because I couldn’t just stay in my house. I had to accord final honors to a friend. This is frightening and his children are now orphans.”

Tragedy struck Shaban’s family again last night as a fire that broke out in the Bedouin city of Rahat took the lives of three toddlers, according to Arutz Sheva. The mother of the children, ages one, three and four, who died of smoke inhalation, is related to Shaban. Police said that the fire was caused by a malfunctioning heater.