Israel’s News Blog Magazine: Daily Stories Video and Photos
To someone visiting Israel or even a new comer, these days must seem very strange. As someone who has lived here all his life though, having gone through the emotional rollercoaster every year, there is a certain balance to these two days.
Memorial Day started at 8:00 PM this evening with a siren that caught me on the way home (2 blocks from home actually), and like everyone else I stopped, got out of the car and stood in silence as the siren blared. These next 24 hours will have us dig deep. Today we get out all the old pictures and memories of the fallen. We dust them off and we take a good long look. We listen to the families who still have a gaping hole in their life. A hole that time will never fill. The stories are sad, heart wrenching, surprising and uplifting all at same time. We have a great deal of stories to tell today and they all need to be told. Since the beginning of Jewish settlements in Israel, over 22,305 lives have been lost in wars and acts of terror. 233 were killed this past year, 119 of them were soldiers killed in the Second Lebanon War.
Today you hear all sorts of stories. It makes you realize how detached we get when we are busy living our lives. I mean we feel the tinge, the pain, when we hear about a soldier killed on the news, but today we see how deep the wound is. Today we see the whole story we knew was there when we heard it on the radio.
The stories about the father’s premonition, who called the army’s Special Family Services and said he was worried about his son. At the same time his son Yaniv, was killed in Lebanon. He was told that evening when soldiers appeared at the door.
A story about a couple who at the age of 47 and 53 lose their 20 year old son and 12 months later have a third son. The fallen son was in an elite unit and was killed by friendly fire. His younger brother (18) now asked his parents for a permission letter to join a combat unit. They painfully agree.
The story of an Ethiopian boy who makes it to Israel, goes to a school on a Kibbutz and is filled with ambition to become a real Israeli. He joins the army, becomes a paratrooper and later a Lieutenant Colonel. When he falls he leaves behind a huge void for both family and community that sees him as the light of their life. A community center for Ethiopian children is dedicated to him now. His mother says she now feels she is an Israeli, not an immigrant.
There are so many stories and so many good people. Salt of the earth people: Russian immigrants, Ethiopian immigrants, religious, secular and all 100% Israelis.
Tomorrow night we will celebrate Independence Day. We will celebrate our 59 year old country. Celebrate living free in a country we more then earned.
3 Comments
very well written, you managed to touch the spirit of the nation
in mourning for her sons,the sad thing is that there is no sign
of the struggle’s end in sight,therefore there is no alternative
but to be strong and ready, and support each other in time of need.
Lift high the blue and white…
Sing praises to God with all your might!
Wondrous is the miracle of Yisrael today…
The Sovereign Maker will have His way!
When His people, He will call…
Those who bless them will not fall!
Help us Heavenly Father, to discern Your way…
Guide us through repentance to acceptance we pray!
To Yisrael with Love, Happy Independance Day!!!
(In dependence upon your God, you can dance!)
Remember the Field of Bones; no matter how dark the days get…
Know that the Holy One of Israel, He is God, He Loves you with an everlasting Love and has good plans for the House of Yisrael.
And on Tuesday many, many blue and whites will be hung proudly with the red, white and blues!!!
Here in the U.S. our Memorial Day is celebrated the last Monday in May. For many people this marks the beginning of the summer season and is spent barbequeing and getting together with friends. Thanks for this thought-provoking post. This should remind people of the true meaning of Memorial Day.
Post a Comment