Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Ex-haredi Woman, Whose 'Suicide Book' Roiled Gur Hasidim, to Be Buried in Two-part Funeral
Esty Weinstein, a formerly ultra-Orthodox woman who committed suicide and left behind a manuscript telling the story of her life, will be buried Tuesday in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Cemetery.
In the suicide note that accompanied the manuscript, Weinstein said she killed herself mainly because she missed her daughters. She left the ultra-Orthodox world eight years ago, and only one of her seven daughters, Tami Montag, remained in contact with her.
Weinstein's parents – who, unlike her daughters, remained in touch with her throughout those eight years – wanted to organize the funeral and hold it in Jerusalem, but the Tel Aviv Family Court ruled Monday that it should be held in Tel Aviv. Nevertheless, the court added, both her ultra-Orthodox relatives and her secular daughter and friends should be able to participate. It will therefore be held in two stages, with the first part secular and the second religious. Her parents will attend only the second half.
In her suicide note, Weinstein requested a "modest" funeral with "lots of flowers, as I like it, and perhaps a moving song." Montag, who came to court to fight her grandparents' request for control over the funeral, said after the hearing that her mother's wishes would be honored.
"We'll honor her last request," Montag said. "Both religious and secular people will be at the funeral. I asked each to respect the other."
She added that she was sure her mother would approve the half-secular, half-religious ceremony, because "her parents were important to her."
In her note, Weinstein apologized to her parents "for the grief I caused you," and told her mother that despite some difficult years in their relationship, "in recent years, you proved yourself ... I love you very much."
Weinstein's body was found in her car on an Ashdod beach on Sunday, six days after she disappeared. Police finished identifying her Monday.
Comments:
very sad story, so sad. Gur is a sect, and Israel does not make any effort to control them. Where was the State in the case of Esthi? Why the social service could not work deeply with their daughters in order to make them close to ther mum? Where were they? where were the lowyers of a democratic country? This is the state responsability, Gur is a sect.
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