Thousands attend police officer’s funeral, worshippers return to Har Nof synagogue

Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Thousands attended the funeral of the Druze police officer killed in the terror attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem, including busloads of haredi Orthodox Jews.

The funeral Wednesday afternoon for Zidan Saif, 30, came hours after morning prayer services were held in the Har Nof synagogue where Palestinian terrorists killed five worshippers the previous day.

The funeral took place in the presence of religious leaders including haredi Orthodox, National Religious, Druze, Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox, and political leaders.

Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin spoke at the funeral.

“What do we tell a five-month-old girl who will never know her father, that will grow up an orphan? We will tell her that her father was a hero,” Rivlin said.

Saif died Tuesday night after being shot in the head during a shoot out with the terrorists.

The haredi Orthodox community in Jerusalem and elsewhere organized buses to bring people to the funeral.

The funeral came hours after worshippers again entered the  Bnei Torah Kehillat Yaakov synagogue for morning services, passing a security guard at the entrance to the building.

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett of the Jewish Home party and Dov Lipman of the Yesh Atid party joined the worshippers. A congregant who was injured in the attack also returned for services.

Four of those injured in the attack remain hospitalized, two in serious condition, one in moderate condition, and one in the orthopedic ward.