Jerusalem – Video-Photos: Nechama Rivlin Laid To Rest At Mount Herzl

Jerusalem – The funeral of Israel’s first lady Nechama Rivlin took place on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Nechama’s coffin was first placed at the Jerusalem Theater. There, the public was invited to pay their respects.

At 4 pm., President Reuven Rivlin and his family arrived at the Jerusalem Theater and at 6 p.m. the funeral began.

Eulogizing his wife, Rivlin said that he woke up on Wednesday morning, like he has on this day for many years, and remembered that it was his wife’s birthday. She would have been 74.

“Happy birthday my love. It’s a very sad birthday,” said Rivlin as he eulogized her at the funeral.

Rivlin said that his late wife, Nechama Rivlin had “fought like a lion.”

“You were more Jerusalemite…than the Rivlin’s,” he said referring to the fact that his family has been in Jerusalem for five generations.

Rivlin went on to say that she “taught me love that was complete and wise.”

“You said that we always have to be real, to be authentic,” he recalled when he was elected as president. “You would water and foster everything you knew that was good.”

“Everyone here loves you,” he added, saying that she was “the mother of Israel.”

“To you my beloved Nechama, my lover, it is so hard for me to be bidding you farewell,” Rivlin said. “Thank you my Nechamele for your love, your humour, your warm heart…I was the spouse, I was the spouse of the wife of the president.”

“No water will ever be able to extinguish my love for you, rest in peace,” he concluded.

Rivlin’s daughter daughter Anat also eulogized her mother Nechama, emphasizing her continued strength despite her continued battle for her health over the last 10 years.

“She was so strong, I don’t know how she did,” Anat said. “She really suffered, but found this inner strength to continue.”She said that “being in the Presidents residents my mother would say that she can actually touch and teach people, and help people.”


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