Malakhi Levinger, head of the Kiryat Arba/Hevron Regional Council in Judea, on Saturday night eulogized Rabbi Ya'akov Litman and his son Netanel who were murdered the previous evening right before Shabbat near Otniel, south of Hevron.
"Rabbi Ya'akov was one of the most dedicated teachers in our city," said Levinger.
"A teacher who provided the children of Kiryat Arba/Hevron with Torah and knowledge on a variety of subjects, and more than anything did everything with benevolence and a constant smile that infused much good into all those around him."
"Netanel was one of several youths of the city who volunteered and gave of his time to MDA (Magen David Adom - ed.), and was a blossoming youth who was flourishing and had a great future ahead of him."
"The Kiryat Arba/Hevron community is shocked and hurt by their murder mere days before the wedding of their daughter and sister, but in parallel Kiryat Arba/Hevron will continue to draw strength and courage from the knowledge that in the end, the continuation of the settlement and of life here is the true victory over the evil that tries to harm the entire world," added the regional head.
"From here we will continue with all the pain and will shout: be strong and be strengthened for our people and for the cities of our G-d," he concluded, in a quote from the Book of Samuel 2 (10:12).