Yom HaZikaron: Israel Stops to Mourn Her Fallen Sons and Daughters

May 1, 2017

by: Ilse Posselt

Monday, 01 May 2017 ǀ The wail of an air raid siren is never the harbinger of good news. It screams a warning of impending danger, of threats looming just beyond the horizon. Yet in Israel, an air raid siren can sometimes serve a different purpose: its mournful howl calls the people of the Promised Land to remember, to honor and to mourn.

That was the case last night. At exactly 8:00 p.m., air raid sirens echoed across the length and breadth of the country. And for a minute, the entire nation stood in silent commemoration as Israel mourned those who died in defense of the Jewish homeland.  The tribute lingers on today, with one more siren at 11:00 a.m.—another moment in honor of the more than 23,000 soldiers who died so that the people of Israel could live. Today is Yom HaZikaron, the Day of Remembrance for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism.

“We have two memorial days in Israel every year: one to remind us of the cost of having a state and one to remind us of the cost of not,” explains G. Reback. Last week on Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day, the people of Israel remembered the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered by a fanatic regime determined to exterminate every trace of Jewish life from the face of the earth. Today, Israel remembers its sons and daughters who died defending millions more from a similar fate.

“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?” asked well-known author, Terry Pratchett. That is why Israel remembers. Every name. Every day. But today, for the 24 hours between sunset to sunset, the nation mourns as one.

This year, the cumulative number of fallen soldiers and victims of terror stands at 23,544. Since last year’s Memorial Day, a further 97 names have been added to the list. The number includes victims of terror, soldiers and wounded Israel Defense Forces (IDF) veterans who passed away from their injuries in this year. Today, the number of bereaved Israeli parents totals 9,157, with 4,881 widows and 1,843 orphans. Since the rebirth of the modern State of Israel, 3,117 civilians have been murdered in acts of terrorism, including 122 foreign nationals who died in the Promised Land and 100 Israelis killed in terror attacks abroad.

At first glance, the numbers appear almost too small. Yet Israel is a tiny nation; its population one large community. Take 23,544 children, fathers and mothers out of that community and you have a nation in which every family has lost either a relative or a close friend. Moreover, in a country where each generation has fought at least one major war, the lives of every family have been touched by loss, marred by grief. There are the soldiers who died on the frontlines, protecting Israel’s right to exist, and those who were slain as buses and restaurants exploded—all those who should have still be but are not. That is why the pain that vibrates throughout Israel on this day does not just hit close to home; it hits home.

Speaking last night during the main memorial ceremony at the Western Wall Plaza where President Reuven Rivlin and IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Chief of Staff, Gadi Eizenkot, lit candles in memory of Israel’s fallen heroes, Rivlin told the audience, “By this Wall of tears and of hopes, this evening, fifty years after the liberation of Jerusalem, we remember: our liberty is sacred, both sacred and hard. We know that there is a price to be paid for our existence here, for our liberty. There is a price, and we, in awe and terror, are willing to pay that price.”

“We must be more than prepared,” he continued, “more than exceptional. We must constantly examine ourselves; always be standing ready, always be one step ahead; always be engaged, not just in preventing the next war, but in preventing all the coming wars—using every tool and every channel at our disposal.”

Eizenkot took to the podium after Rivlin. “An entire nation bears the memory of its loved ones with sadness and pride, appreciates the contribution of its fallen heroes, and bows its head,” the IDF chief of staff said. “On this occasion, in this historic and important place in the capital city of Jerusalem, here on this plaza reverberates the joy and sorrow and the voices of war and victory. Here, we are bound together: one army—one oath—one mission.”

“Although the lives of the fallen were cut off in hostility, thanks to them, we can say wholeheartedly tomorrow that the music of the people of Israel will not stop. The people of Israel are alive.”

Israelis will continue to observe the solemn day of remembrance by lighting candles and placing a miniature flag of Israel on the graves of family, friends and loved ones buried in military cemeteries across the country. Yet sundown tonight will mark a transition from sorrow to joy as Yom HaZikaron, the Day of Remembrance, makes way for Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. This year, the modern State of Israel turns 69 years old.

The transition from one day to the next, from mourning to celebration and from tears to the sound of laughter filling the streets can appear startling at first. Yet it is arranged like that on purpose. Those who laid down their lives on the front lines did so for one goal: Israel’s rebirth and continued existence. The sacrifice was made so that there could be such celebrations of independence. That is why the two days are intertwined. That is also arguably why Israelis mourn with such passion, only to celebrate with equal passion on the day that follows.

As Israel remembers its fallen sons and daughters today, Bridges for Peace stands alongside the people of the Promised Land in mourning. And as the grief turns to celebration tonight, we wish Israel a happy 69th birthday.

Posted on May 1, 2017

Source: (Bridges for Peace, 01 May 2017)