Yair Vilensky z"l laid to rest after Golan blast

Elazar Yair Wilensky z"l, the teen killed in the unexploded ordnance blast on the Golan Heights, was laid to rest Wednesday at the cemetery in Moshav Chosen. Hundreds accompanied him on his final journey, among them Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Minister Ze'ev Elkin.

Members of his family delivered brief hespedim. His father said, "You loved life every single moment. In a way of special love, in a place, in a sanctuary in heaven where there is only love. And may you have all the peace in the world." His brother eulogized and shared that "Yair was a very diligent and sociable boy. He loved the land and he loved sports. I told him that if he made the team I would grant him a wish, and he asked for a two-day hike in the Golan Heights. Yair, I promise I will go on that hike."

One of Wilensky's friends from the Ort Maalot yeshiva high school shared, "You were a huge light for us. I can't process that I'm speaking about you in the past tense. On Sunday I still saw you, with your mischievous smile, and I gave you a final hug. You lit up our lives and made us all happy. Everyone loved you."

According to him, Hezbollah is directly responsible for his friend's death. "Yair was murdered by Hezbollah," he stated. "True, it happened after time passed, but the intent was to kill Jews."

At the conclusion of the levaya, Maalot-Tarshiha Mayor Moti Ben David eulogized Wilensky and said, "These are difficult days for all of us. I went around the hospitals and saw a united community, one that did not break even after October 7, and that did amazing things."

Education Minister Kisch also pledged that "we will get to the truth so that you, the Wilensky family, will not be left with open questions and also to prevent future incidents. We are pained by the untimely death of Elazar Yair, may his memory be a blessing."