Music: None. It's Israel's Memorial Day.
It's Yom HaZikaron here in Israel. This is the day soldiers (and victims of terrorism) that lost their lives protecting the Jewish people are remembered- Israel's Memorial Day. Everything is closed. Restaurants, stores, even Non Stop - my favourite grocery store that is usually ALWAYS open. It is illegal for any public establishment in Israel to be open. Even in Arab neighborhoods apparently.
I just came back from a memorial service that took place in Rabin Square. Dead soldiers' stories were shared by their families. All in Hebrew of course, but it didn't matter. I understood it all. After each story was told and pictures were shown, a song was played with a live band. I am not familiar with Israeli musicians so I can't say who was there. The entire ceremony was moving. After watching one story after another, after another, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to leave. I missed the last 15 minutes or so of the ceremony. My friends told me that the ceremony closed with "Ha'Tikvah" (hope) - The Israeli National Anthem. All over the country ceremonies like this take place, with a MEGA ceremony taking place in Jerusalem with the country's top leaders in attendance- including Bibi.
Having said the above, I think about "Memorial" Day in America. How do Americans celebrate it exactly? Ah yes. It's the unofficial start to the summer. Wooohoo! Beaches open, bbq galore, party central. After observing what happened today in Israel, I thought to myself, this is memorial day in America? Its almost shameful. Hey listen, we're all guilty of partying on Memorial Day in America, its our culture. Even me. I am trying not to sound like a judgmental hypocrite, but I really can't help it. I was overwhelmed by how Israel celebrates its Memorial Day. And, IMHO, that's the way to do it. But have no fear, the party begins tomorrow at sundown!
After one of the most saddest days of the year, the sun goes down and it's party central! Tomorrow evening Israel celebrates 64 years of independence! This holiday is known as Yom Haatzmaut. Rooftop parties, bbq and excessive drinking begins. Almost like America! :) It's amazing how the mood of the country shifts after a few minutes. Sigh. Only in Israel.
But lets get back to Yom HaZikaron for a moment. Watching all of those faces, all of those children. I thought to myself: Is it really worth it? The Torah teaches us that each Jewish soul (nefesh) is special and unique and contributes in its own way to the world. These brave men and women died protecting our country. My country. Why? Because other people are always trying to kill us and we need to protect ourselves. The Holocaust was not the only point in time that people tried to exterminate us, albeit it was the most tragic, with the most amount of lives lost. So in order to prevent this from happening again, the Jewish state was formed and continues to exist. And it clearly continues to need to protect itself, i.e. Iran. But is one Jewish soul worth the protection of an entire group of people? I don't know. You decide. It's a double edged sword. Maybe best answered by the parents of a dead soldier. I honestly don't know.
All I know is that I love this country. I have never felt more home, more like I belonged to something. And with every chag (holiday), the feeling just becomes stronger. We are a small country and a very complicated one at that. Life here isn't a walk in the park, things don't happen easily here. Trying to accomplish daily tasks even seems so complicated sometimes, but at the end of the day, this Eretz Israel. The homeland. My homeland.
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