JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A 21-year-old yeshiva student was killed Monday evening after the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) he was riding overturned in an open area near Neve Erez in the Binyamin region, emergency responders said. A second rider sustained minor injuries.

Join our WhatsApp group

Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email

The victim was identified as Meir Shaar, a student at the prestigious Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. Shaar had recently become engaged and was preparing for his wedding.

According to initial reports, Shaar, of Bnei Brak, and another young man from Beitar Illit were traveling together on the ATV when it overturned under circumstances that remain under investigation.

Emergency responders found Shaar unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, and suffering from severe head injuries. Despite prolonged resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second rider was conscious when rescuers arrived and was treated for minor injuries to his limbs before being taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Volunteers from ZAKA responded to the scene to recover the remains with dignity and assist in preparations for burial. The body was later transferred to Israel’s National Center of Forensic Medicine for identification procedures.

Shaar was the son of Rabbi Avraham Harel Shaar, a teacher at Derech HaTorah Yeshiva in Bnei Brak and a synagogue official. He was widely regarded by classmates and rabbis as a dedicated Torah scholar and was active in the Or Yisraeli youth movement, where he helped mentor and inspire other young Jews.

The fatal crash occurred during Israel’s annual Bein Hazmanim vacation period, when many yeshiva students and families travel and participate in outdoor activities. Earlier Monday, a toddler died after drowning in a residential swimming pool, and several days earlier a 16-year-old boy was critically injured in a separate swimming pool accident.

Funeral arrangements had not been announced as of Monday night, and authorities continue to investigate the cause of the rollover.