Yissachar Dov Spiegel, 21, who was swept into the water at the beach in Netanya this past Friday, passed away overnight Tuesday at Laniado Hospital, surrounded by his family members.
His brother, Avraham Yeshayahu, remains missing.
The family had come to Netanya during the "Bein Hazmanim" break, a vacation in Jewish yeshivas that occurs after the Passover holiday.
On Friday, the two brothers went into the sea and were swept away by the current. Yissachar Dov was hospitalized in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries, while his brother is still unaccounted for.
Friends from the yeshiva described the character of the young man who passed away. "He was very well-known," one of them said. "He sat and studied diligently, putting in real effort. He was one of the pillars of the Beit Midrash, and it was always a pleasure to be in his company."
Meanwhile, searches for his missing brother continue. Commander Amir Cohen, head of the Central District of the Israeli Police, visited the beach earlier this week to closely monitor the search operations and met with the boys’ father at the police command post. "We will invest every effort and do everything possible to locate him," he said.