Yotam Ovadia, a resident of Adam who was murdered in a terrorist stabbing attack on Thursday night, was laid to rest in Jerusalem on Friday. Thousands arrived to pay their final respects to the slain father of two.
Ovadia, 31, who served in the Border Police, has worked for the Brink’s security company for the past 10 years. He is survived by his wife, Tal Tahel, and two young children—Harel, 2, and 7-month-old Itai.
Yaakov Ovadia, the victim’s uncle, said everyone in the settlement of Adam knew Ovadia’s family. “The extended family will support [them] and help as much as possible,” he said.
At the funeral, Ovadia’s grandmother eulogized him, saying that “our flower has been taken.”
Rabbi Gur Levy, the chief rabbi of Adam, said “Yotam was killed while sanctifying God. He left his house to perform a mitzvah and was murdered. We were slapped in the face. The Creator of the universe dealt us a serious blow. He will avenge your blood.”
Oren Edry, Ovadia’s brother-in-law, remarked that the “family is devastated.”
“The cursed terrorist go him while he was out getting groceries for a romantic dinner he was planning for Tu B’Av. He was going to surprise my sister,” he said. “He went to his parents’ house, three houses down, and that’s where the terrorist got him.”