funeral of Rabbi Ahiad Ettinger
funeral of Rabbi Ahiad EttingerHezki Baruch

Thousands of mourners are taking part in the funeral of Rabbi Achiad Ettinger of Eli, who was murdered in the terror attack in the Ariel area yesterday and this morning died of his wounds.

"Rabbi Achiad, you're a hero and a warrior. You're a hero and a warrior who thought about the people of Israel, you are an emissary of the Israeli nation, everyone will learn from you how to strive to contact, how heroes fall; you're a hero," said Eli Rabbi Avraham Shiller. "You are a hero in the love of Israel to strengthen good Jews who are holding out in South Tel Aviv."

"A great and bitter cry: How will Tamar raise 12 children by herself? How will she lead them to the wedding canopy alone? How does a parent loses a son after they have already lost a son-in-law. Neve Sha'ar neighborhood lost its teacher. A great and bitter cry," Rabbi Schiller added.

Rabbi Schiller said, "We are all Mordechai the Jew, a Jew who withstands trials, falls, and gets up. A Jew is that one who cries out loudly and bitterly and is that one who stands, does not tremble or flinch, does not kneel or bow down."

Education Minister Naftali Bennett eulogized Rabbi Achiad Ettinger, "In his lifetime, Rabbi Achiad gave up every moment of personal pleasure and strove to connect with the Jewish People and went to South Tel Aviv to grow Torah there and to create life there. In his death, Rabbi Achiad could easily have done what most people do and ignore it, but Rabbi Achiad strove to contact, fired shots at the intruder, and paid with his life. We've lost the present life of Rabbi Achiad, but his eternal heritage we'll uphold forever."

"It hurts; we shouldn't have had to meet him here at the cemetery," said Bennett. "Sheffi Paz, an activist from south Tel Aviv, said how much Rabbi Achiad's Torah brought to southern Tel Aviv connection between the settlement and Tel Aviv," added Bennett.

"It is true that we're strong, that from every one of the twelve children will spring a tribe and you'll continue the path of your holy father. True, the wonderful family here will wipe away the tears and continue because that's what we are doing here. But this evil that cuts down the best people must be cut down. Over your grave I declare that Jewish blood will no longer be the cheapest commodity; we'll cut off terror only after we break the cognitive and legal chains that prevent us from winning," Bennett said.

"Tamar, dear family, the community of Eli, we're with you, we're strengthening you, the people of Israel are alive, may his memory be blessed." Bennett closed his eulogy.

Yeshivat Kedumim head and rabbi of Rabbi Achiad Ettinger, Rabbi Yitzchak Ben Shachar, eulogized his student, "The devotion of Rabbi Achiad in his death continues the dedication in his life. He was always great. The same devotion continued in southern Tel Aviv, where he went on to study and teach, to head a yeshiva. Devotion to the nation, great devotion of Achiad and Tamar to the home they built, the education of the children, being considerate of their surroundings.

"We have no words to express the power of pain. We're between Shabbat Zakhor and Purim, and this terrible murder was the day after Shabbat Zakhor and we received another reminder that the seed of Amalek must be wiped out. We must learn the lessons," added Rav Ben Shachar.

Rabbi Ettinger, who served as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Oz and Emuna in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood of south Tel Aviv, left his wife, Tamar (44) and 12 children.

The eldest daughter Moriah (21) is married to Yinon Luz, who lives in the renewed Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem and is expected to give birth soon. Efrat, 20, is a volunteer in the National Service in Tiberias. Eliashiv, 19, is serving in the IDF in an elite unit: Harel, 18, Eliasaf, 16, Yehuda, 13, Tehiya and Tzofia, twins, 11, Benia, 9, Eliav and Hadas twins.