Hundreds of people attended to funeral of Motti Ben Shabbat, the man who drowned while attempting to rescue several family members from floods in Nahariya Wednesday.
Nahariya Mayor Ronen Marelli attended the funeral and delivered eulogy, "The late Moti is not a hero of Nahariya alone, he is a hero of the entire country."
"He saved many people's lives, and not only yesterday." Addressing Moti's wife, Marelli said: "Chave, on your birthday you buried your hero, he is a hero of the state and this city," the mayor added."
Earlier, President Reuven Rivlin sent a letter of condolence to the Ben Shabbat family.
“Dear brave Ben Shabbat family, I heard with great pain of the death of Moti, who drowned in the floods that engulfed Nahariya in the last day. Our eyes cannot believe the pictures and the sights we see of quiet streets that have turned into a scene of terrible tragedy. Moti risked his live to save a family whose car was stuck in the rising tides. In those seconds, when action comes before thought, a person’s true character is seen. Moti did not think twice and jumped into the current in hope of saving a family he did not know and were in danger of being trapped under the water.”
“His bravery, his refusal to be a bystander, his courage, touched all our hearts and are examples of humanity and mutual responsibility of the highest order. Please, on behalf of the people of Israel, accept my sincere condolences at this difficult time. May the soul of Moti, our hero, be bound in the bond of life. There are heroes in Israel!”