Rabbi Moshe Talbi
Rabbi Moshe TalbiIsrael news photo: file

The family of Rabbi Moshe Talbi, who was murdered by terrorists, has forgiven police for falsely claiming that he committed suicide. The claim was the basis for official media reports for months.

“On the eve of Yom Kippur we forgive each other for sins between man and his fellow man, we ask forgiveness from everyone and forgive everyone,” widow Bruria Talbi told Arutz Sheva. “In the name of the whole family, I forgive.”

Rabbi Talbi, a resident of the Golan, was found dead of a gunshot wound in his car, just outside the Jewish community Revavah in Samaria, six months ago. Police insisted he had killed himself, despite evidence to the contrary.

The family pushed to continue the investigation, and the matter eventually ended up before a Knesset committee, whose members expressed concern over the police version of events. Police commanders admitted that the suicide report may have been inaccurate, and began looking in the direction of Palestinian Authority terrorism.

The chain of events was similar to that which occurred after the recent murder of Asher Palmer and his infant son Yonatan. Police initially claimed that Palmer had caused the car accident that killed the two through careless driving, but later rescinded that claim and announced that the two had been murdered by PA terrorists.

On Tuesday, a memorial to Rabbi Talbi was unveiled at the entrance to Revava. “The holy Rabbi Moshe Talbi, may G-d avenge his blood, was murdered here by wicked people on the 17th day of Adar,” the memorial reads.

“A circle was closed,” said Bruria Talbi. “Moshe gave his life to sanctify G-d’s name and served the country for many years. People told me this week at the ceremony that it was a correction for what happened at the funeral. The community needed that correction.”

The Talbi family has accepted the death of their husband, father and grandfather, she continued, but Rosh Hashanah was a particularly difficult time nonetheless. Rabbi Moshe Talbi’s birthday was on the second day of the holiday; he would have been 55.

In addition, he was accustomed to lead prayer services in his hometown in the Golan and to blow the shofar. His absence was felt by many worshipers, Bruria Talbi said.

Ultimately, she concluded, “We are people of faith, and accept G-d’s verdict. But we hope that there will never be an evil like this again, that destroys an entire family.”