Days of remembrance and celebration in Israel do not go unnoticed. In that past two weeks, Israel has undoubtedly been on a “yom” kick, celebrating Yom HaShoah, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut over the course of 8 days. These holidays shed an interesting and touching light on Israeli culture- its connection and recognition of its past tied ever so closely with its hope of the future.
As the day of remembrance of the 6 million Jews who were murdered through the horrors of the Holocaust, Yom Hashoah, strikes a very personal and relatable cord in Israeli society. Stores closed throughout Yerushalayim on erev Yom Hashoah and a siren goes off at 10 o clock the next morning signaling a moment of silence for those 6 million Jews who perished. The siren is something so very specific to Eretz Yisrael. A siren rings to warn against bombing raids and a siren rings to signal the remembrance of those who perished. Each siren however sounds different- a bomb warning is high pitched and goes through different tones while the siren to remember is low pitched, slow and somber.
The connection the Holocaust has to Israel is quite obviously a close one. I recall making assumptions at a young age that Israel’s creation was highly dependent on the Holocaust. While there is no doubt that the final push in establishing a Jewish state for the Jewish people was connected to the horrors of the Holocaust, I have learned over the years it is of course not the only reason for its establishment. The Zionist movement came about in the late 19th century as the only answer to the ensuing anti-Semitism of Europe. The connection today on Yom Hashoah of course is that so many of the Holocausts survivors found their way to Israel- many fought it is War of Independence, ran its government and continued to develop the nation that we see today. Aside from these survivors of course are their decedents who populate this country today. Yom HaShoah was created in the 1950s- shortly after its independence, on the day of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising- purposely in memory of those warriors in Warsaw as the state was being created and fought for by the new warriors, of Israel.
A mere week later- a professor of mine pointed out the connection between this week and the week of Shiva- Yom Hazikaron occurs. This day is set to remember all those soldiers who have died from pre-state to now. I found myself on erev Yom Hazikaron at the Kotel for the national ceremony of those fallen soldiers. Crowded behind an area blocked off for soldiers, we stood and listened in Hebrew to President Shimon Peres, a rabbi and military leaders speak on the day of remembrance. Following this ceremony two of my friends and I made our way over the Russian compound downtown where we were three of thousands of Israel’s sitting in the courtyard of the old Jail- listening to musicians perform songs about war and soldiers and short videos of soliders in the Army. We became a part of this day of remembrance as we sat surrounded by thousands of Israelis who most likely served in the Army in last 5 years and even more likely lost friends of theirs. Tears uncontrollably fell from my eyes as the hatikvah- the hope- was sung by those who fight truly to protect the state of Israel and the Jewish people. Around town the next day were hundreds of ceremonies remembering those who have fallen- along with a national ceremony on top of Har Herzl. Throughout the day the Radio broadcasts the stories of fallen soldiers. My friend Helene and I made our way into town just in time to hear the siren of remembrance for those fallen soldiers. Everyone gets out of their cars, traffic is stopped and we stand silently in honor and remembrance of Israel’s fallen. It is unlike any memorial day in the US, to be in Israel for Yom Hazikaron. This day is personal here, meant for honoring and remembering soldiers who died fighting for the state of Israel, unlike the shopping barbequing Memorial Day in the states. Undoubtedly everyone has a connection to a grave at the bottom of Har Herzl among the rows of stone plaques honoring those who have lost their lives.
Merely hours later the celebration of the founding of the State of Israel began. As the sun set my friends and I attempted to make our way to Talpiyot for Mincha Maariv and Hallel on the Tayelet overlooking the old city. We got lost on the way, found ourselves heading down a not- so safe mountain to a place we as American- Jewish 20 somethings were probably not welcomed. Luckily a car drove by hailing an Israeli flag, rolled down its window and a friendly Israeli face asked us where we were going. We quickly piled into his old Volvo after discovering he too was heading to the tekas and was lost on the way. He told us some stories about Shlomo Carlebach, as any good hippie religious Jew here does, and we safely made our way to the tekas. We arrived to davening Israelis followed by dancing in celebration of the young country which would turn 61 the following day. We then made our way down town to Israeli dancing at city hall- along with some intense Israeli dancers, to some concerts in the center of town where everyone was clad in blue in white and finally made our way to Nachloat to a block party that lasted until early in the morning. The next day was all about the Barbequing. What seemed like every citizen of Jerusalem crowded into Gan Sacher and held huge bbq’s for friends and family. My friends and I grilled chicken cabobs and burgers and spent the day celebrating the creation of the state of Israel with its people.
These three holidays- holidays celebrating the civil religion of Israel rather than the religious- revealed a side of Israeli society to me that continues to amaze me. We hear in the states about our freedoms and standing united, but nothing can compare to the celebration of independence and freedom that Israel inhibits on these three days. These holidays emphasized for me the uniqueness of the state of Israel. As I continue my journey here its days like these that pull me into what it really means to be an a Jew in your own land- and its days like these that deepen my sense of pride in my people and my land.
In exactly one month I will be traveling back to the states. It has begun to hit me that my dreams of spending a semester abroad are slowly coming to a close. I have so many things I want and need to get done before I can end my time here- and I plan to succeed. Though that reality is starting to sink in along with sadness as well- my confidence is returning here continues to grow.
Love to you all,
Sara
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