Hundreds attend Topaz funeral

Hundreds attened the funeral of veteran TV star Dudu Topaz at the Yarkon Cemetery in Tel Aviv on Friday, after taking his own life in his prison cell the previous day.

The 62-year-old entertainer, who was held at the Nitzan Detention Center in Ramla while undergoing trial for multiple charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and aggravated assault, was found dead Thursday morning after apparently hanging himself with an electric cable.

Topaz's brother, Miki Goldenberg, said during the service: "The media did not kill Dudu. The media killed our people, because they behave worse than those that sit in prisons."

He urged those present to have the media removed from the funeral service. "Whoever can remove them physically - do it. This is the time," he said.  

He also mentioned that his brother's organs would be donated to those in need. "I saw my brother five minutes ago, and he was less handsome than before, because he donated many parts of himself so that people can continue to see the world, so he is without many things he had before."

Topaz's three sons then said the Kaddish for their father, and his son Daniel spoke, saying, "For us, you were much more than a father that got up in the morning and went to work. I am sure there are many among you who have lost a father, a family member, a friend, a brother – we lost them all at once." He then broke into tears and was comforted by his family.

'Never ashamed to say he was my dad'

"For us, dad will always be the first in entertainment and king of the ratings. It doesn't matter how others see him. I will never justify his actions but I will never be ashamed or afraid to say that my father was Dudu Topaz," he continued, and received cries of support from those attending.

After his eulogy, the son asked the crowd to clap their hands, despite the situation. The participants responded with loud applause.

Mourners at the service (Photo: Yaron Brener)

Topaz's ex-wife, Roni Hen then addressed the mourners: "I would like to ask forgiveness from the people that were hurt by what Dudu did. Dudu made one mistake. He did many things in his life, but a mistake like this he made only once. On his behalf, we ask for everyone's forgiveness."

His younger son added: "I don't understand why my father went to prison if he made one mistake and did so many good deeds."

Investigation into death continues

Meanwhile, an investigation into Topaz's death continues. This was the entertainer's second suicide attempt, after which he was placed in a cell monitored by security cameras and with five other inmates.

Police investigators collected testimonies from the two prison guards and five inmates that were at the scene when the incident took place. A top police source told Ynet it was unlikely that the prison guards watching Topaz at that time would be held criminally responsible for his death.

'He made only one mistake' Roni Hen and family (Photo: Yaron Brener)

"It seems there is no criminal aspect to the story, and it will probably end in Israel Prison Service procedure problems," the source said.

An Israel Prison Services source told Ynet on Thursday that Topaz's suicide came as a shock and is regarded as a blatant failure: "The writing was on the wall, in flaming letters. It is unclear how, with everyone so aware of the danger, he was still able to take his own life."

News of the former ratings king's death struck the industry hard. Tzipi Shavit, a leading figure in the Israeli entertainment industry and one of Topaz's closest friends, told Ynet she and his friends had been concerned that he might try to take his own life.

"We were worried. His confinement, the anguish, his health, facing his children – the situation was very difficult and evidently he couldn't take it," she said.