Thousands of mourners gathered in the central Israeli city of Modiin on Sunday as the three members of the Salomon family who were murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in a deadly stabbing attack were laid to rest.
Yosef Salomon, 70, and his two children Chaya Salomon, 46, and Elad Salomon, 36, were killed by a 19-year-old Palestinian who infiltrated the West Bank settlement of Halamish on Friday night and attacked them in their home as they were celebrating the birth of a new grandchild with the family.
Yosef’s wife, Tova, 68, was released from hospital and joined the mourners at the funeral. She had been seriously wounded and taken to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem where she underwent surgery on Saturday morning.
Michal Solomon, the wife of Elad, eulogized her husband, calling him her best friend.
“13 years ago we met in Neve Tzur,” she said. “I met a quiet, calm and stable man. I felt certain in my decision to spend our lives together. You were a perfect husband, we couldn’t have asked for any more. You were excited by our kids. You cared about them. You played with them like a kid yourself.”
She spoke of the total partnership they had and of her fears for the future. “Now you are not here for me and it scares me,” she said.
Michal thanked all those who supported her and the family. She was present during the attack and saved their children by taking them upstairs and holding the door closed.
“I want to say thank you to everyone here,” she said. “In the last two days I have received so much strength from people I don’t know. You don’t know how much you have helped me.”
Yosef’s daughter Orit eulogized her father.
“Dad, you were always a man who gave everything and made us all happy and made us feel like everything was OK but now, nothing is OK,” she said. “Now you can rest, we will look after Mom.”
The rabbi of Halamish, Yonatan Glass, was unable to attend, but a statement was read out on his behalf.
“Only someone with no remnant of humanity could raise their hand against Yossi and his family,” the statement read. “Yossi that made everyone he came across happy. The Salomon family household was based on making other people happy.”
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Mayor Yisrael Porush of the city of Elad where Elad Salomon lived, promised to respond to the terror attack with increased West Bank construction.
“We in Elad will be here for the family. We will be with you but we will also not let this pass without a response. We will double and triple the size of Elad,” Porush told the mourners.
Several Israeli flags were being held by mourners attending the funeral.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development Yoav Galant (Kulanu) and MKs Motti Yogev (Jewish Home) and Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid) were also in attendance along with hundreds of members of the close-knit community of Halamish.
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