Remembering Sara Kasirer z”l: A Young Mother Who Died Exactly as She Lived

Remembering Sara Kasirer z”l: A Young Mother Who Died Exactly as She Lived

I got to know Sara Kasirer z”l over the past decade or so. Our husbands teach together at the same yeshiva, so several times a year we would meet at Shabbatons and talk about children and our communities and life.

What can I tell you about Sara?

She was goodness. Integrity. Devotion.

A devoted wife to her husband, Rabbi Shlomo Kasirer, a Talmid chacham with an encyclopedic memory and (like his wife) a heart of gold. A devoted mother to her 6 sweet, young children. A bookkeeper of her beloved yishuv, Mitspeh Yericho.

I remember a few years ago seeing a death notice for a great rabbi who had been murdered by a man who didn’t like the advice the rabbi had given him. This shocking murder was being covered in all the Israeli media, but when I saw the death notice I was surprised to see that it made no mention whatsoever of the way the rabbi had died. I did a double take…Since in the days following his murder, the horrific way he had died was all anybody could talk about. But then I got it. His family didn’t want the terrible death he had died to overshadow the purity and holiness of the life he had lived.

But Sara’s death, like Sara herself, was exceptional. Here is the article about the tragedy that appeared in Yediot Achronot this past Tuesday:

“SHE TRIED TO SAVE HER DAUGHTERS, AND ALMOST PAID WITH HER OWN LIFE

“A 43-year-old woman drowned today at the Palmachim beach, and she is in critical condition. The woman realized that her daughters were in danger, and she entered the water to save them and began drowning herself. She was removed from the water without a heartbeat, and paramedics who arrived on the scene managed to restore her pulse. The mother was taken to Tel Hashomer Hospital. Her daughter, age 15, was lightly-injured in the event. Her 7-year-old sister was not injured.”

From the site of the drowning (photo courtesy of Magen David Adom)

From the site of the drowning (photo courtesy of Magen David Adom)

Earlier today Sara passed away at Tel HaShomer Hospital. The funeral will take place at 4 PM today in Mitspe Yericho, and the burial in Kfar Edumim.

Sara lived a life characterized by self-sacrifice and dedication. To her children, to her husband, to the Jewish people, to Hashem.

And her tragic death, risking and ultimately losing her life to save her children, was a perfect representation of the quiet heroism that was her life.

May her grieving family find comfort and may her memory be a blessing to all of us who merited to know her.

2 comments

  1. This is so incredibly tragic. Were there no lifeguards? Were they alone?
    As an Australian I have a healthy fear of the sea. It is a dangerous, powerful and unpredictable creature. Jewish Moms, it may be limiting for us regarding modesty and beach attendance, and it’s not so fun being crowded into a tiny marked swimming area on women’s day and shouted at by lifeguards: but I implore you all not to swim in Unflagged areas. If you must be apart, then don’t swim. Simply wade and splash no deeper than knee length or we risk our and our children’s lives. Far reaching sandbanks at low tide become traps as the tide quickly rises, and sudden holes are treacherous.
    Don’t let this beautiful woman leave this world in vain and her heroic and tragic experience may save lives.

  2. I want to add that if ” knee deep” is more than a say five meters from the waterline then it’s too far. Sudden dips often occur where the first breakers appear and they straight away suck the swimmer back in.
    The sea is for strong swimmers only. When I see the Israeli beaches full of women in long clinging dresses not designed for swimming and children and teenagers clutching rubber rings I understand why Israeli lifeguards scream at us all day.

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