Yom Hazikaron 2023

One  week  after Yom HaShoah v'Hagvurah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) is  commemorated, Israel marks Yom Hazikaron - national remembrance day for soldiers, victims of terrorism and other state service people.

Yom Hazikaron is commonly referred to by many people - as "K'dosh Kdoshim" - the  holiest of the holies.  For some Israelis, it is more meaningful then Yom Kippur.  It is a day marked or observed by Israelis across the political spectrum, religious and non-religious, of different ethnicities, and all different ages.

According to official Israeli sites, 24,068 soldiers  and security  personnel have died since Jews first began modern efforts to rebuild Israel in 1860.  In addition, approximately 4,216 Israelis have  been  killed  in terrorist attacks.   Following the founding  of the State of  Israel in 1948, Yom Hazikaron was established as a day to remember fallen soldiers, which would take place every year the day before Israel's national Independence Day.  Over the years, Yom Hazikaron was expanded to include those who were killed prior to the  establishment of the State and in 1997, the Knesset enacted a law to include remembrance of victims of terrorism on Yom Hazikaron.

Like with Yom Hashoah, which we observed last week,  we walked over to the Ra'anana ceremony last night at 8 p.m. All of Ra'anana's stores and restaurants closed early (around 6 p.m.) last night, as they did across the country.  We went early to be able to find seats.  There were thousands and thousands of people.  Large sections of seating were reserved for families of fallen soldiers.  

The ceremony started with a two minute long piercing siren.  Thousands stood silently thinking  about those who had died and. bracing themselves for a difficult ceremony.

The commemoration itself was about 1 hour and 20 minutes.  It included speeches from the  Mayor of Ra'anana, a representative of the bereaved families, the city Rabbi, and others.  There was a special emphasis  on the Yom Kippur War, which took place fifty years ago, in 1973.  Images flashed across screens of worshippers in synagogue the day the  war broke out - suddenly hearing  sirens and  alarms across the country as Israel was  attacked by Egypt and Syria on Yom Kippur.   There were several stories about the lives of different soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the  country and the names of every soldier,  originally from  Ra'anana, who had been killed, were read out.  There were also several musical performances which were emotional, moving and exceptionally well  presented.

We went back  home and watched the tail end of the national Israeli ceremony.  After that, TV stations broadcast musical performances for several hours by Israeli artists singing mournful loss-themed  songs, much of this from a live performance in Tel-Aviv.  This was all interspersed with interviews and  stories about fallen soldiers, their families and their fellow soldiers who  served with them.

Over the course of the day, Israeli TV programming is  non-stop Yom Hazikaron programming.  There was a second nationwide two minute siren at 11 a.m.  There was a national ceremony at Mount Herzl and there are stories throughout the day of fallen soldiers and their families.

Yom Hazikaron is such a powerful day in Israel because of the nature of Israel's army and the role it plays in society.  Since everyone is or can be  drafted in Israel, the army is still very much a  citizen's army.  Israelis, young men and women, from all  walks of  life serve and units can be made up of people from different places, different backgrounds,  different ethnic origins, economic circumstances and political views.  They come together in the belief that it is necessary to defend the  country. (I am not pretending there are no political issues here - including issues relating to who is required to serve - but I am deliberately avoiding those issues for now - that is for another post).

Israelis recognize  that the army is there to protect Israel against very real existential threats.  Two of Israel's wars, the 1948 War of  Independence and the 1973 Yom Kippur War were very much existential wars in the truest sense of the word.  In 1948, Israel was heavily outnumbered and had vastly inferior equipment to that of the array of surrounding countries that invaded, right after Israel declared its independence.  In 1973, Israel suffered crushing losses during the first few days of the war, with Syria threatening to march towards Tel Aviv and Egypt threatening to march northwards.   In both cases, heroic efforts by Israeli military forces led to eventual victory, at a heavy, heavy price.

In 1982, when Israel became involved in the first Lebanon War, Israel's north was under incessant attack from rocket fire from Lebanon.  In 1996, during the Second  Lebanon War, rockets from Lebanon hit Israeli targets (mostly civilian) across the country.  More recently, Israel has faced barrages of rocket fire, targeting civilian areas, from Gaza and has had to defend the country.

And today, although  things can seem relatively peaceful at times, there are serious threats to Israel from Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Hamas and Palestinians.  The army  must maintain a constant state of readiness, relying heavily on a wide range of intelligence operations, as well as the readiness of its well trained forces, in preparation for any possible outbreak of hostilities.

A common  theme at Yom Hazikaron  is the gratitude that we owe these fallen soldiers.  It is because of them, their colleagues, their efforts and  their sacrifices, that Israel was established and has been able to make it to his year's 75th anniversary.

The founders of Israel recognized that Israel's establishment and independence came at a great price.  They determined that the  only logical day on the  calendar to mark Yom Hazikaron would have to be the day before Yom Haatzmaut - Israel's Independence Day.

They  understood that Israel's greatest day of celebration, which is marked by fireworks, street partying,  festivities  across the country - could only be celebrated properly if it was preceded by a day  honouring, thanking and commemorating those who made it all possible.

Yom Hazikaron will end tonight at sundown and Israel's 75th Independence Day - Yom Haatzmaut - will begin immediately after sundown.  The country will demonstrate its resilience by moving seamlessly from grief to joy, from remembrance to celebration and from the country's cemeteries to national parks, musical stages, outdoor festivals and fireworks.  It is a difficult transition.  The message is that Israelis have no choice but to remember and thank those who were lost - while at the same time doing everything possible to get the  most out of life and celebrate what we have.

To all those who we  remember on Yom Hazikaron - Y'hi Zichram Baruch - may their memories be  blessed.

Yom Hashoah v Hagvurah - Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023

It has been a very busy month - between Pesach (Passover), several weddings, a funeral,  and other events here in  Israel - including family visits and work obligations.  As well, as you probably  know, there is quite a great deal going on politically in Israel.   But I will come back to that in another blog soon.

Today is Yom Hashoah v'Hagvurah - the Day of Remembrance  of the Holocaust and Bravery in Israel - and around the world and I wanted to write some reflections about this  day.

Holocaust memorial day in Israel is one of the most important and one of the most sombre days of the year.  In cities across the country, ceremonies are held in city centres and are extremely well attended.  Restaurants, stores and shops close early on the evening of Yom HaShoah.  People put on white shirts and walk over to the local commemorations.

We went to the Ra'anana commemoration.  The theme this year was 80 years since the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.  The one-hour event included a torch lighting  by a survivor  of the uprising.  Teen participants in Jewish youth movements lit hundreds of candles to symbolize the  millions  of Jews killed in the Holocaust.

There were several  readers - who read out diary entries, poetry and other writings from people  who perished over the course of the Warsaw uprising - or others who somehow  managed to survive.  There were several musical performances as well which were powerful and emotional.  The mayor of Ra'anana, Chaim Broido, spoke about his parents - who were Holocaust survivors - and others spoke about the  horror of the events that took place in Warsaw.  The memorial closed with the chanting of "El Maleh Rahamim" by a Ra'anana Hazan (cantor) and then  the singing of Hatikvah, Israel's national anthem.

We walked back  home - and turned on the TV.   All of the Israeli stations show Holocaust programming on the  evening  of Yom HaShoah.  We watched one program about a heroic French Nun, Sister Denise Bergon, who saved more than 80 Jewish children - and the story, in particular, about two  French sisters who she managed to  keep alive.

We watched a few other programs, including a moving interview with several Holocaust survivors and the way in which their children have made efforts to spread their stories to as many people as possible.  

This morning, at 10 a.m., across Israel, there was two-minute long siren.  Everything stops across the country.  People who are travelling stop their cars and get out and stand  next  to the cars until the alarm is over.  It is extremely powerful.

Later this morning, I watched the National Holocaust commemoration  at  Yad Vashem featuring Israel's Knesset members, various rabbis, Supreme Court judges, survivors, and others who all participated in different ways.  The  last part of the event was "the reading of names."  Various participants, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, Chief Justice Hayat, cabinet members, opposition Knesset members and others - all took turns coming up to the microphone  and telling the story of a few Holocaust victims - and reading out the names of these victims and  others.

So many Knesset members and other Israeli officials told the story of their grandparents or great grandparents - or uncles or aunts - or other family members.  So many people were affected by the Holocaust - and lost so many family members.   I couldn't help but think about my family members who perished during the Holocaust as well.

My great grandfather, Moshe Yaakov and  his wife  Channa,  were murdered on August 16 or 17, 1941 by Lithuanian  Nazi sympathizers in the town of Kamajai, Lithuania.  We were later told by cousins of ours, who miraculously survived the war, that it was the son of  neighbours of my great grandparents - who actually murdered them.

On the other side of my family, my great grandparents Avram and Chaya were sent by train to Auschwitz-Birkenau.   Their son, Gabriel (my grandfather's brother), was also sent there with his wife and two children.  Gabriel was separated from the rest of the family and  somehow managed to survive the war.  He was eventually liberated from Auschwitz, emaciated, but alive.   His parents, his wife and his two children were taken away from him.  He never saw them again.  They were all murdered at Auschwitz.  After being liberated at the end of the war, Gabriel was sent to a displaced  person's camp.  He was able to find my grandfather and reunite with him in New York - and Gabriel eventually remarried and had one  daughter  (my dear cousin, who passed away just over a year ago).  

On both sides of my family - there were many others who were murdered - and whose names we do not have.  But for those whose names we do have - I wanted to state their names - in line  with the  well known Yad Vashem theme - "Each Person  has a Name."  

The Nazis and their collaborators not only sought to murder  all of the Jews in Europe.  They also sought to erase their identities  and  their memories.  They gave each imprisoned person a number and seared these numbers onto the arms of  the prisoners.  My uncle Gabriel  had a number like this burned onto his arm.

Many Jews in Europe were murdered - and in many cases - their identities were unknown.  Many were buried in mass graves or murdered or otherwise vanished.  And one of the key projects of Yad Vashem  has been to try and collect as much information as possible  about the victims - to dignify these people by finding their names, their  identities  and telling their stories.

To see the various Knesset members each coming up to the podium and recounting the names and stories of  different victims was not only powerful and emotional - it was also  another reminder of the importance of Israel as a Jewish state and as the only real defender, protector and haven  for the Jewish people.  For this one day - Knesset members from different sides of the aisle put  aside their  differences and all took part in remembering, dignifying and  honouring the  victims of  the Holocaust - and recounting stories of many  brave men, women and children who somehow  fought  back or  otherwise  survived.

May the memories of all of  the victims be for a  blessing - Y'hi Zichram Baruch.