Prime Minister Netanyahu wrote to a letter of condolence to Mr. Gavriel Sassoon, who accompanied the bodies of his seven children z”l to Eretz Yisrael for kvura following the tragic fire that engulfed their Brooklyn home on Shabbos, 2 Nissan.

Following is a translation of the letter that appears below.

Dear Gavriel,

I was deeply shocked to hear about the tragic deaths of your beloved children, Eliane, David, Rivkah, Yehoshua, Moshe, Sarah and Yaakov. From what I have heard about them, they were children imbued with values, who were a source of pride and joy for you. Each one of your children was a world unto him or herself, unique and special. There is no greater sorrow than the loss of children and the pain is even greater because they were so young. The entire Jewish People feels your pain.

As a family with faith, your dear ones embody the verse (Vayikrah 10:3), ‘Through those that are close to Me will I be sanctified’. May you find the inner strength to cope with the tragedy that has befallen your family. May the memories of your children be a source of strength and consolation. I wish a full and quick recovery to your wife Gayle and your daughter Tziporah.

Yours in deep grief over the loss of seven pure souls,

Sincerely,

Binyamin Netanyahu.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)