The Schmerler family from Talmon in Samaria decided to name their newborn son after Tuvia Yanai Weissman who was murdered by knife-wielding Arab terrorists in a Rami Levi supermarket in Feburary, after he attempted to fight them off bare-handed.
The Schmerler family invited Weissman’s widow, Yael, to the brit milah (circumcision ceremony).
“During the past week, several of Yanai’s blood-stained items were returned to me,” said Yael. “May God avenge his blood. Today we merit to celebrate a covenant of blood. Blood of life, of the covenant of our forefather Abraham, of Yanai Yehuda – son of Eli and Shani Schmerler.”
“It began a few hours prior,” said Yael, “Today in the afternoon I received the following message:
Dearest Yael,
We never met in real life, but in the virtual world I’ve been following you for some time with great admiration and amazement.
I wanted to let you know that today, in a few hours, we will be performing a brit milah for our son and we have decided to name him ‘Yanai’, in honor of your late husband who served as a role model to us.
Our son was born on the fifth day of the Jewish month of Iyar, Israel’s Independence Day, and we decided to commemorate an Israeli hero as a symbol of dedication, giving and sacrifice for the common good.
The covenant of blood that is due to take place this evening will symbolize the continuing flow of blood of the late Yanai Weissman to our little Yanai, and thus inaugurate love and helping others at any time, just like your Yanai, who recently became the Yanai of the entire State of Israel
With appreciation and excitement,
Eli and Shani Schmerler of Talmon.”
Yael was very touched and wrote on her Facebook page: “Eli, Shani and their entire family – today I merited to meet a special and amazing family. It is hard to find the words to show the appreciation we feel towards you for naming your son in honor of our Yanai.”
“I am confident that from this moment, a strong bond has been created between our families and we wish you a life of happiness with your little Yanai Yehuda. We wish that he will understand the importance of helping others whenever he can, just like our Yanai did. I am thrilled and excited for you and your sweet little baby Yanai.”
