Hagar Mualem, 39, had only started the school year about two weeks ago in a new and challenging position - co-principal at the social high school in Tel Aviv.
A few days after the start of the year, she suddenly collapsed in her home with her partner and small son present. An aneurysm was diagnosed in her brain which caused profuse bleeding and she was hospitalized in critical condition at Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer. Two days later, Mualem passed away.
Her sister, Noa, told Ynet: "It was a normal Saturday night.I was already sleeping, I woke up by chance and discovered that my mother was calling me. She said that Yoav found Hagar with a serious problem at their home. My father joined them at the hospital, and we had two difficult and nerve-racking days, with very little hope, until she passed away."
She added: "For me, Hagar was an example and a role model. On the face of it, we chose different paths and a different lifestyle, but somehow, our paths always crossed and there is no place I go that I am not proud to say that I am her sister. We were pregnant together and gave birth at the same time, which brought us even closer. There is no one who resembles me in terms of motherhood and understands me better than she. We didn't have to speak in words. It was a special relationship."
Ohad Lahav, co-principal of Tel Aviv-Yafo Social High School, paid tribute to her: "Unfortunately, the parents and most of the students had not yet gotten to know what a bright and determined educator she is, but the high school staff managed to learn a lot from her."