A young Canadian who moved to Israel to join the army but was killed by Hamas at a music festival on Saturday, was laid to rest this afternoon at an emotional funeral.
Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects to 22-year-old Ben Mizrachi who was originally from Vancouver, at the Kvutsat Yavne cemetery near Ashdod.
Ben’s remains were found among the hundreds corpses that lay scattered around the Supernova rave held in the Negev desert close to the border with the Gaza Strip on Friday night and into Saturday morning.
More than 250 revellers who were gunned down at the festival, including 26-year-old US citizen Oriya Ricardo, from New York City and dozens kidnapped.
A dual Canadian-Israeli citizen, Ben had emigrated to Israel to join the Israeli Defence Force and was serving in the paratroop regiment at the time of his murder.
Ben Mizrachi’s remains were found among the hundreds corpses that lay scattered around the Supernova rave held in the Negev desert close to the border with the Gaza Strip on Friday night and into Saturday morning. Pictured: Ben Mizrachi
Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects to 22-year-old Ben Mizrachi who was originally from Vancouver, at the Kvutsat Yavne cemetery near Ashdod on Wednesday
A dual Canadian-Israeli citizen, Ben Mizrachi had emigrated to Israel to join the Israeli Defence Force and was serving in the paratroop regiment at the time of his murder. Pictured: Mourners at his funeral on Wednesday
An army helicopter flew overhead and military jets could be heard in the sky during the hour-long funeral on Wednesday
Friends and family attend the funeral of Ben Mizrachi killed at Kvutsat Yavne cemetery on Wednesday afternoon. His heartbroken loved ones are pictured crying and embracing each other during the service
An army helicopter flew overhead and military jets could be heard in the sky during the hour-long funeral.
His body was covered in a prayer shawl and lay on a medical trolley in front of his loved-ones as he was remembered.
Speaking with huge dignity and in a quiet voice Ben’s heart-broken mother Dikla praised her son’s passion for Israel.
She said: ‘We are people of faith. I know that God takes the best. I know it’s what people say. But it’s the truth. He needs the best next to Him.
‘When he was backpacking in south America, he said; “Mum, if something happens in Israel I’m going back immediately.”
She continued: ‘Ben, how can we speak about you in the past tense?
‘For 22 years he was the glue that held so many people together
‘You were a child who was born with light radiating from you and a smile on your face.’
She added: ‘[When we learned of his death] my youngest daughter Maya screamed; “I don’t want there to be a lot of people at his funeral. I want there to be a lot of people at his wedding.”
Ben Mizrachi’s body was covered in a prayer shawl and lay on a medical trolley in front of his loved-ones as he was remembered
Hundreds of well-wishers surrounded his grave as he was lowered into the ground draped only a prayer and without a coffin in accordance with Jewish custom
Mourners are pictured around Ben Mizrachi’s body as it was lowered into the ground
Friends and family attend the funeral of Ben Mizrachi on Wednesday afternoon in Israel
Ben Mizrachi moved to Israel to join the army but was killed by Hamas at a music festival on Saturday. A group of his loved ones are seen crying and embracing each other at his funeral on Wednesday afternoon
A Rabbi told his funeral: ‘Ben, you weren’t just killed while on a trip with friends. You were murdered in cold blood by evil wild men.’ Pictured is Ben Mizrachi’s body during his funeral
Mourners hug each other as Ben Mizrachi is buried on Wednesday afternoon in Israel
Two women, wearing their military uniforms, are pictured at Ben Mizrachi’s funeral on Wednesday afternoon
A service member bearing flowers attends Ben Mizrachi’s funeral at Kvutsat Yavne cemetery on Wednesday afternoon
During an emotional and tear-streamed eulogy his younger sister Niv told how Ben would always be with her.
With tears running down her face she said: ‘Ben, you didn’t waste your time, you took advantage of every moment of your short life.
‘Even though we don’t have our big brother, you will always be with us, here [in our hearts].
‘He will continue to spread his unique life.
‘Mum and Dad will be ok and we will be happy because that’s what Ben would have wanted.’
His best friend Moshe Atias honoured Ben as his ‘soul brother’.
‘You came from Canada to be recruited into army. I asked you, why?
‘You are a mentch [a kind and honorable man], a man but with the sensitive soul of a baby.
Speaking with huge dignity and in a quiet voice Ben’s heart-broken mother Dikla praised her son’s passion for Israel. His younger sister Niv told how Ben would always be with her. Pictured are his relatives speaking during his funeral
His best friend Moshe Atias honoured Ben as his ‘soul brother’. Pictured are mourners at Ben Mizrachi’s funeral on Wednesday
Ben Mizarchi’s body was buried on Wednesday afternoon at Kvutsat Yavne cemetery
Ben Mizrachi’s loved ones are pictured speaking during his funeral service on Wednesday
More than 250 revellers who were gunned down at the festival, including Ben Mizrachi whose funeral was held on Wednesday
A heartbroken woman embraces another funeral attendee as she mourns the loss of Ben Mizrachi on Wednesday
Woman cover their faces and wipe their tears as they attend the funeral of Ben Mizrachi
Friends and family attend the funeral of Canadian Ben Mizrachi on Wednesday
‘I don’t know how to go on from now.’
A Rabbi added: ‘Ben, you weren’t just killed while on a trip with friends.
‘You were murdered in cold blood by evil wild men.
‘We want to live in freedom and peace and security but these wild men remind us that that’s not our fate.’
Hundreds of well-wishers surrounded his grave as he was lowered into the ground draped only a prayer and without a coffin in accordance with Jewish custom.
