'Hurting, shocked and grieving': The victims of the flash flood

Families and friends express their sorrow at the loss of their loved ones.

By MAARIV ONLINE
Updated: APRIL 27, 2018 11:41
Photos of six of the victims of the flash flooding in the Tzafit river, April 26, 2018 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Photos of six of the victims of the flash flooding in the Tzafit river, April 26, 2018
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Ella Or from Ma'ale Adumim, Yael Sadan and Maayan Barhum from Jerusalem, Tzur Alfi from Mazkeret Batya, Shani Shamir from Shoham, Romi Cohen from Maor, Agam Levy from Herut and Gali Balali from Givatayim are eight of the victims of a flash flood disaster which killed ten teenagers from a Tel Aviv pre-army academy on Thursday.
The settlement of Ma'ale Adumim published a message of mourning on Thursday evening: "The city shares in the grief of the families of the boys and girls that were killed in the terrible tragedy in the South, including the family of Ella Or, the daughter of Yitzhak and Sarit Or, residents of Ma'ale Adumim."
Funerals for five of the ten killed are scheduled to take place on Friday.
"Ella was a student in the city's Amit Girls' School, her mother Sarit Angel Or was the head of an elementary school," said another message. "The city is hurting, shocked, grieving and embraces the family and shares in its grief. The Ma'ale Adumim municipality and Amit Girls School are ready to assist and support the pupils in the class, whose friend perished in the disaster in the Tzafit river."
Ella Or, a victim of the flash flood in the Tzafit river, April 26, 2018 (Social media)
Ella Or, a victim of the flash flood in the Tzafit river, April 26, 2018 (Social media)
Teams from the school and the municipality will head to the school on Friday morning to assist classmates during these tough times, the municipality added.
The head of education in the state religious school system, Dr. Avraham Lipschitz, paid tribute to Ella and wished to express his condolences to the families of the victims.
Helicopters looking for survivors from the flood / Courtesy of Magen David Adom
"We have lost, with great pain and sadness, a dear student from the Amit school in Ma'ale Adumim," said Dr. Lipschitz. "May the heavens comfort the families and educational establishments. We are praying for the injured from the disaster and hoping for good news."
Amit Girls' School, where Ella was a student, also published a message of mourning: "Shocked by the death of our beloved student Ella Or in this terrible catastrophe. Ella was a delightful girl with great dreams, a student with values and who was loved by her friends and teachers."
Yael Sadan, a further victim, was a graduate of Jerusalem's School of Arts. "A graduate of a dance course, an excellent student, truly. Greatly loved and socially active. A wonderful girl, a wonderful girl," said Tomer, head of the School of Arts.
"TZUR ALWAYS STOOD OUT"
Deep grief descended on the town of Mazkeret Batya with the confirmation of the death of Tzur Alfi. Many students from Rabin School where he was a student gathered together in shock.
"Tzur came with his family three years ago to Mazkeret Batya," said municipality head Meir Dayan. "Tzur was a star who always stood out, dominant, principled and an excellent sportsman who would run long distances. He learnt theater and, three weeks ago, all the town saw him perform in his final play. All of us are in shock, a wonderful boy has left us."
Tzur Alfi, a victim of the Tzafit river flash flood disaster, April 26, 2018 (Social media)
Tzur Alfi, a victim of the Tzafit river flash flood disaster, April 26, 2018 (Social media)
One of the injured who was treated at Beersheba's Soroka Hospital described how the disaster unfolded to a doctor. The doctor told Kan news: "They entered the river but not in its narrowest area. They started to walk but then suddenly heard the flood coming. And then the girl described a shocking scene - 'We all started running forward but the water managed to get the last of us.'"