Nobility of soul that turned into a tragedy: the late Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen perished trying to save a toddler from a fire

(haipo) - The late Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen, 54, died after suffering third-degree burns on about 80% of his body, following a noble attempt to save a one-year-old toddler, the late Oriya David Moshe, who perished in a fire in an apartment in the Racsim settlement about three weeks ago (13/11 /2024). The huge flames raging around the apartment did not deter him for a moment, and he jumped straight into the burning fire, determined to rescue the toddler who was trapped in it.

He lost his life to save others

His close friend, Rafi Hayon, a volunteer at Ihud Hatzala, said in an interview to Lahi Fe about the exemplary character of the late Rabbi Eliyahu: "I knew him for 13 years. He was a secular man who became stronger and repented and for the last three years we studied together at Kollel. He was a golden man, anyone who knew him will testify to that. At the funeral and also in the comfort of the mourners, we kept hearing more and more stories about him - no one was surprised that he lost his life trying to save others."

help at all costs

Hayon says that Rabbi Eliyahu used to volunteer and help others, and also, it has already happened that he helped another person at personal risk: "This is not the first time he has put himself at risk for others. He has done this in the past as well. The results of the previous case were of course different," he says painfully. . "Always did everything from the heart, determined to help at any cost."

Always the first to help

Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen was divorced and the father of three sons. Despite life's challenges, he was a man of justice and truth. He would help needy families, especially families with many children. In the conversation he had with Hayon, he told about the pride he felt due to the change he made in his life by his adherence to the religious path, which brought with it, he said, a deep inner change.

"I was not surprised that he entered the fire to rescue the toddler," adds Hayon. "He was always the first to help, always there for anyone who needed it."

The late Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen left behind three sons, shocked and grieving. Amidst the heavy mourning that the late Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen left behind, there is also a memory of his dedication, his great willingness to always lend a helping hand, and the memory of the nobility of soul that he had, about which all his acquaintances tell.

Of blessed memory.