Haredi woman arranges free bus travel to funeral of slain Druse police officer
After posting about Zidan Saif's funeral on Facebook, Ariela Sternbach received pledges from several anonymous donors to pay for a charter bus to the funeral.
By JEREMY SHARONZidan Saif(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
A haredi woman from Beitar Illit took upon herself to organize bus rides from Jerusalem to the Druse town of Kfar Yanouch in the Galilee for the funeral of Zidan Saif, the Israeli Druse policeman who was injured at the scene of the terror attack in Har Nof and later died from his wounds, for dozens of haredi residents of the neighborhood and beyond.Saif was among the police personnel who were called to the Kehillat Bnei Torah synagogue as the terrorists were carrying out their attack, and he sustained a shot to the head during an exchange of gunfire with the two as they exited the site.Ariela Sternbach said that after waking Wednesday morning to the news that Saif died, she felt a huge sense of gratitude to the police officer and posted details of the funeral on her Facebook page so that people would be able to attend if they were able.She then received several offers from donors, who wished to remain anonymous, who pledged to pay for bus hire.Sternbach says that some 40 people from the haredi community departed on the bus from Jerusalem, with others expected to get on the bus when it stops outside the haredi community of Modiin Illit, while many others are expected to travel in private vehicles.“This policeman had so much courage. He lives in this country and he was not of the Jewish people but he put his life on the line for us and sacrificed himself for us,” Sternbach told The Jerusalem Post.“He leaves behind a widow and an orphaned child and I think his deeds must be recognized,” she said.
