Israel Today: Today begins a week of memory and commemoration in Israel. Tuesday evening, April 13 begins Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers concluding with the celebrations of Independence Day on Wednesday evening through Thursday, April 14th (a day early this year because of the Shabbat).
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.” Ezekiel 36:24
I have often wondered why we spend so much time reliving these heartbreaking events. Surely the people who lived through these traumas do not need a day to remember, they live everyday with memories.
During memorial days my grandfather would take me to visit the graves of his friends and loved ones. He pointed out the people he knew from the town where he grew up; a man who helped build the local synagogue, the butcher who lived across from the Jewish community center. Each grave marked with a Jewish star represented a unique life, a life that had left its mark on my grandfather.
In honoring these people, my grandfather left an indelible mark on me. I was reminded that we stand here today because of the sacrifices of so many who are no longer with us. Read More
