JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The body of a missing teenage yeshiva student was identified after a 10-day search, and thousands attended his funeral Sunday night as a Jerusalem family faced a second devastating loss within days.

Avraham Yeshayahu Spiegel, 17½, a first-year student at the Tifrach Yeshiva, drowned on the eve of Shabbat Parashat Shemini after entering the sea with his brother, Yissachar Dov. His brother had been hospitalized in critical condition and died earlier in the week. Spiegel’s body was found during the family’s mourning period, forcing them to extend the shiva.

Authorities confirmed the identification at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute using dental records from a clinic in Jerusalem’s Ramat Shlomo neighborhood, along with a DNA sample provided with the assistance of a community volunteer.

Thousands attended the funeral, which began outside the family home on HaRav Kahaneman Street in Ramat Shlomo. He was buried at Har HaMenuchot cemetery, alongside his brother.

האחים אברהם ישעיהו ויששכר דב שפיגל שטבעו למוות בחוף בנתניה. בְּחַיֵּיהֶם וּבְמוֹתָם לֹא נִפְרָדוּ 💔😢 pic.twitter.com/yfHbMabOvK

— ישראל כהן (@Israelcohen911) April 19, 2026

Spiegel, known as “Avi,” was born in Jerusalem and came from a respected rabbinic family. His father, Rabbi Shlomo Spiegel, is a Torah scholar, and his mother is an educator. He studied in local religious schools before continuing to the Tifrach Yeshiva, where he quickly became known for his diligence and warmth.

At the funeral, his father delivered a prolonged, emotional eulogy, struggling through tears as he reflected on both faith and anguish. Quoting the traditional expression, he said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken; blessed be the name of the Lord,” while questioning how joy can coexist with such loss. He described his son as “pure and righteous,” meticulous in his observance and deeply committed to learning, adding that “everyone tells me he was a communal offering — I say he was like the red heifer, purifying others.”

קברי האחים יששכר דב ואברהם ישעיהו שפיגל ז"ל זה לצד זה בהר המנוחות (צילום: ישי חסון) pic.twitter.com/WKwfCRgQML

— משה ויסברג (@moshe_nayes) April 19, 2026

The grieving father spoke of the compounded tragedy facing the family. “One plus one is much more than two,” he said, describing the pain of losing two sons in such a short time. “When someone who loves you strikes you, it hurts more. We were given a beautiful family, everything was calm — and then to receive such a double blow.”

He also expressed gratitude to the volunteers who searched for his son במשך days, asking that his son serve as an advocate in heaven for them and for the family. He prayed for strength to continue raising his family and sustaining the yeshiva despite the loss, invoking the biblical call for consolation: “Be comforted, be comforted, My people.”

Rabbinic leaders also paid tribute, urging students and mourners to persevere despite the tragedy. Friends described Spiegel as cheerful and deeply committed to his studies, recalling his enthusiasm and ability to uplift those around him.

He is survived by his parents, siblings and a wide circle of friends, as the community grapples with the loss of two brothers in such a short span.