The euphoria of yomtov was shattered in Uman on Rosh Hashanah as the news spread of the death of a 19-year-old bachur who drowned toveling in a local river.

The young bachur drownded apparently while toveling in the river about an hour before tashlich. It appears heavy rain was falling at the time and the water temperature was reported to be extremely cold. Unconfirmed reports point to a cardiac incident, perhaps the result of the water temperature.

A brother and friend of the victim were present and they tried to save him, albeit unsuccessfully. They summoned Zaka and responders arrived at the scene with the new Zaka ambulance. Police divers also responded to extricate the body from the water.

One of the mispallalim, a former member of the IDF’s elite Shayetet 13 (Navy SEALS) entered the stormy frigid waters in an effort to save the bachur. He located the body and managed to pull it out of the water. All resuscitation efforts failed to bring him back to life. The body was placed in a refrigeration unit near Kever Rav Nachman.

Zaka official Sammy Grossman reports the event occurred on the first day of yomtov. The levaya will be held in Uman near the tziyun at 21:00 and from there, the body will be flown to Eretz Yisrael for kvura.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)