Yair Mordechai, 43, of Kibbutz Shluhot was killed when a Palestinian suicide terrorist detonated a large bomb strapped to his body near the entrance of the kibbutz in the Beit She'an Valley. He was driving to the kibbutz sukkah to join his family for breakfast after already having been at work in the fields. He stopped to speak to a stranger at the entrance gate. This was a terrorist who blew himself up when Yair approached.
Yair, a kibbutz member, had worked for several years as manager of a nearby regional factory for processing dates. He came to Kibbutz Shluhot 20 years ago from Kiryat Shmona because of his love for one of the kibbutz members. They married and had four children, but later were divorced. Several years ago, he married a second time to US born Iryah and they had a daughter.
Yair Mordechai was laid to rest at the Kibbutz Shluhot cemetery. Thousands of relatives and friends attended the funeral. "Thank you, Yair. You saved the whole kibbutz. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't been alert," were the words of goodbye to Yair. He was survived by his wife, 5 children, and 8 siblings.
