An Israeli family suffered a triple tragedy in recent weeks when a father and two of his sons passed away of the coronavirus within three weeks.

Eliyahu Shamke, z’l, 77, a resident of the Ahisamach moshav near Lod, passed away of the coronavirus three weeks ago after contracting the coronavirus in shul along with several others.

His two sons, both in their 50s and also residents of the Ahisamach moshav, had also contracted the virus and were hospitalized before their father’s death in Assaf Harofeh Hospital in Be’er Yaakov. Unfortunately, both of them suffered a deterioration of their condition following their hospitalization and they were sedated and ventilated.

On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the older son, Rachamim Shamke, z’l, 58, passed away and on Yom Kippur, the younger brother Avraham, z’l, 53, passed away, both leaving families behind.

“When Selichot began, Abba said he wanted to attend Selichos after not being in the Beit Knesset for six months,” Eliyahu’s daughter Galit told Channel 12 News. “He adhered to the regulations but it turned out there were two virus carriers in the Beit Knesset and unfortunately, it was already too late. My father and brother contracted the virus as well as several other mitpallelim.”

“They [my father and brothers] were perfectly healthy people apart from diabetes. This wasn’t expected at all. I never thought it would end this way.”

Yehi Zichram Baruch.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)