Funeral of Aliza Azan and her three children
Funeral of Aliza Azan and her three childrenYoni Kempinski

The funeral of Aliza Azan and her three children, victims of the tragic Flatbush fire this week that has put the entire community into deep mourning, began in Holon on Wednesday morning.

The four perished when their Sheepshead Bay house caught fire early Monday morning. They were flown to Israel after a crowd of mourners proved too large and distraught for a pre-flight memorial ceremony to be held in Brooklyn.

Aliza's husband, Yosef Azan, a well-known figure in the local Syrian Jewish community, was critically injured and hospitalized in New York, unconscious and breathing with assistance. Two sons and a daughter were also severely injured and hospitalized.

Aliza's father, Rabbi Avraham Hamra, was the last Chief Rabbi of Damascus and a well-known rabbi in Holon. Last year, he moved to Brooklyn.

New York's Fire Chief held a press conference near the Azans' home, speaking about how the father heroically tried to save his children. He described how the father re-entered his home in order to save the rest of the family, but was unsuccessful and suffered severe burns as a result of the attempt. He also noted that the family's smoke alarms were working, and are the reason two younger boys, Avraham and his cousin David, were saved.

Note: The family has requested that pictures be taken outside the cemetery only. Later, we will cover the eulogies and provide additional pictures.