President Reuven Rivlin today (Thursday, 08 February, 2018), visited Har Bracha to pay a condolence visit to the family of Rabbi Itamar Ben-Gal​ who was murdered in a terror attack at the Ariel Junction on Monday. Accompanying the President was Director General of the President’s Office Harel Tubi, and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.

The President met with the family of Rabbi Ben-Gal, including his wife and children, parents, and brothers, and heard from them of their terrible grief, and of Rabbi Ben-Gal’s great love for his family and dedication to his students. “In fulfilling the religious duty of comforting the bereaved, we try and take just a bit of your pain, and that of your family,” said the President to Rabbi Ben-Gal’s wife Miriam. He added, “I have read and learned so much about the work and actions of your husband, and I will be receiving the students of this wonderful teacher, to sit and talk with them at the President’s Residence about these terrible events. The true virtue of a teacher is that he is a leader who transfers his abilities to his students and I know that I will meet him in them.”

“He was such a loving husband, a joyful father, funny, and full of life,” Miriam told the President, “he would be up early each morning to go to Givat Shmuel, and return from working so hard and straight away be with the children, hugging us before he even put his bag down.”

The President heard from the family of the many condolences they had received and visitors who came to Har Bracha to comfort and strengthen the family. They spoke of their hope that the community would be strengthened after the terrible murder. “We have returned to our land, we have cleaved to our country, and will continue to do so,” the President said in response.

As he left, the President met with members of the family of Rabbi Raziel Shevach - who was murdered in a terror attack last month - who had come to visit the Ben-Gal family. He warmly embraced them, and said that he hoped they would meet again on happier occasions.