Second funeral for Gush Katif dead
Nahmaya Winter, who drowned in tragic accident, was reburied in Nitzan, following removal of graves from Gush Katif
Nahmaya Vinter, buried ten years ago in Nevek Dekalim, was buried a second time in the new cemetery in Nitzan. His funeral was the first of those being reburied from Gush Katif.
When Winter drowned in the Mediterranean Sea the day before Yom Kippur 10 years ago, the small cemetery in Gush Katif seemed the most natural place in the world to bury him.
Sunday, Winter's body was removed from the grave and transported to the cemetery at Nitzan, over the green line, in the first grave removal of the Disengagement plan.
The cemetery at Nitzan was consecrated several weeks ago. Hundreds of former Gush Katif residents attended Winter's reburial, and almost every speaker compared the grave removal to their expulsion from their former homes.
"This is a tough day," said Yosef Winter, Nehemia's father, "having disturbed your eternal rest in order to bury you again.
"I'll never forget you, my son, Nehemia, and one of the pictures I remember is when you were in your supermarket, surrounded by cartons and donations for needy people. You had such a good heart, you always helped others, you always had a smile on your face.
"You were set such a good example for everyone that knew you. We promise you once again, we will always walk along your path," he said.
Many second funerals
Devorah, Nehamya’s sister, said, “you were uprooted and expelled with all the holy people here.”
“Thank you, the people of Gush Katif, for the powers you gave me, then and now,” said Rivka. I will always remember you.” She also said she understood the residents who could not arrive at the funeral because of the many other funerals taking place.
Second funeral in Nitzan (Video: Gush Katif)
Rabbi Yigal Keminski, a religious leader of Gush Katif, said he remembered Vinter’s last journey well.
“But to our great sorrow, it wasn’t your last journey. They uprooted you from the home of your life and rest, like they uprooted us and our homes. Neither you nor us have peace, and I think that what you feel is the crying out from both underneath the ground and above it,” said Keminski.
At the end of the funeral, the burial society asked for forgiveness from the deceased, as is customary. However, this time, they added: “It seems that on the previous occasion we didn’t ask forgiveness properly.”
“ We hope they won’t move you from here and that you’ll reach peace, which we wish on those alive and dead in our land,” said a member of the society.
In a traditional sign of mourning, members of the family tore their cloths, and will now undergo a mourning period for the next seven days in Nitzan.
