Rabbi Raziel Shevach, Hy”d, Laid to Rest in Chavat Gilad

Hundreds gathered on Wednesday in Chavat Gilad to mourn the Rabbi Raziel Shevach, Hy”d, brutally killed in a drive-by shooting the night before just outside the small community in the Shomron.

Shevach’s brother Bar’el spoke at length of his brother’s “Kedushuh,” praising him at length for his devotion to Judaism and his work as a volunteer medic. “You were so dedicated to making this world a better place,” he said.

“He was a very special person,” said friend Yehuda Hass, who volunteered with Shevach as a medic in Magen David Adom. “Just recently he received a citation for his work in the organization. He was the unofficial rabbi of Chavat Gilad.”

“He was a very well known mohel here…in the area, entirely as a volunteer,” Hass told Ynet. “He was a great man with a great heart.”

Ahead of the levayah on Wednesday morning, his wife Yael, yblc”t, said, “We decided together with the family to bury my beloved husband Raziel, Hy”d, in Chavat Gilad, where he worked.”

“Raziel had asked to be buried in Chavat Gilad if anything happened to him. We will honor his request and will bury him in the town he loved so much and did so much for.

“I call on the entire nation of Israel to come to the funeral of our dear Raziel in Shomron. That is my request.”

Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim Shlomo Amar said at the levayah: “You were an angel of G-d from Heaven to establish beloved souls here, both your children and your students.”

Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, Chief Rabbi of the Shomron, said, “So much blessing filled you, so much light. And so much darkness filled those sons of darkness who came to extinguish the light. This time, they succeeded in extinguishing a great light.

“Mr. Prime Minister, come here and look at the eyes of the children, of the family, of our dear Yael. We cannot continue as usual. We must add light, add Torah, add to the land of Israel. There should not be a court case for every meter [that Jews build]. Instead, we must immediately approve another 100 housing units in Chavat Gilad.”

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel said, “We swear to build the land of Israel, and no one will stop us from redeeming the nation of Israel. We will build, we will plant, and we will have children, and this cannot be stopped. This is something which cannot be stopped; we are emissaries, and we will do our best to be faithful emissaries.”

Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi David Lau and Education Minister Naftali Bennett were also in attendance.

Rabbi Shevach, Hy”d, 35, left behind his wife Yael and six orphans: Renana, 10; Naomi, 8; Miriam, 6; Malka, 5; Ovadia, 3; and Benayahu, 10 months, yblc”t.