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Mother's Cries Break the Deathly Silence at Ma'ayan's Funeral in Rehovot
"Stunned and shocked, hundreds turned up yesterday evening at the Rehovot cemetery for the funeral of 15-year-old Ma'ayan Sapir, who was murdered in the city on Friday night while on her way to a night out with friends.
The mourners, including many of Sapir's friends from school and her neighborhood, assembled quietly, some carrying wreaths bearing black ribbons, and some wearing dark glasses to hide their teary eyes, the disbelief on their faces clearly evident however. And then, just as Sapir's body was carried into the obituary hall, the deathly silence was broken by the heart-wrenching cries of her mother, Sarah.
"Let him die in agony in hell, the bastard. He took my daughter," Sarah Sapir cried. "I was given this girl as a gift, and I don't want to give her back. Please pray for me that he dies in agony.
"You told me that you wanted to be great, that you wanted to be a strong and magnificent lioness," she continued. "You were all of those things and more; you were a flower; you were so beautiful, smart and caring. There can be no better... You were a gift I received, and I was always told that you don't return gifts. But today, I am returning you; I have no choice because they stole my present from me; they stole you from me, Ma'ayan - brutally."
Avraham Khaham, who was Sapir's homeroom teacher at the ORT school where she studied, spoke of the likable girl who had been top of her class for the past three years, lamenting the fact that on Friday night, when she needed help, there was no one there to save her. "On Friday night, when you were in distress, none of us was by your side to save you. I can't come to terms with the knowledge that I will walk into class tomorrow and you won't be there," he said.
Rehovot Mayor Shuki Forer also spoke at the funeral. He called on the residents of his city not to lay the blame on entire sectors of the public, referring in all likelihood to the large Ethiopian community from which the alleged murderer came."
Source: Yuval Azoulay. Mother's cries break the deathly silence at Ma'ayan's funeral. Haaretz.com (30 May 2005) [FullText]
The mourners, including many of Sapir's friends from school and her neighborhood, assembled quietly, some carrying wreaths bearing black ribbons, and some wearing dark glasses to hide their teary eyes, the disbelief on their faces clearly evident however. And then, just as Sapir's body was carried into the obituary hall, the deathly silence was broken by the heart-wrenching cries of her mother, Sarah.
"Let him die in agony in hell, the bastard. He took my daughter," Sarah Sapir cried. "I was given this girl as a gift, and I don't want to give her back. Please pray for me that he dies in agony.
"You told me that you wanted to be great, that you wanted to be a strong and magnificent lioness," she continued. "You were all of those things and more; you were a flower; you were so beautiful, smart and caring. There can be no better... You were a gift I received, and I was always told that you don't return gifts. But today, I am returning you; I have no choice because they stole my present from me; they stole you from me, Ma'ayan - brutally."
Avraham Khaham, who was Sapir's homeroom teacher at the ORT school where she studied, spoke of the likable girl who had been top of her class for the past three years, lamenting the fact that on Friday night, when she needed help, there was no one there to save her. "On Friday night, when you were in distress, none of us was by your side to save you. I can't come to terms with the knowledge that I will walk into class tomorrow and you won't be there," he said.
Rehovot Mayor Shuki Forer also spoke at the funeral. He called on the residents of his city not to lay the blame on entire sectors of the public, referring in all likelihood to the large Ethiopian community from which the alleged murderer came."
Source: Yuval Azoulay. Mother's cries break the deathly silence at Ma'ayan's funeral. Haaretz.com (30 May 2005) [FullText]
1 Comments:
At June 22, 2005,
Anonymous said…
I m a cousin of this girls Mother and I live accross the Oceans in Australia. I never met My cousins children but as I sit here at my computer I cry for the loss of Sarah's bright star. I hope her murderer dies a thousand deaths all of them in agony.
My thoughts remain with my Family.
From your Australian Cousin
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