Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZicaron
It has been a very busy week! Last week, we celebrated Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, here on Kibbutz Tzuba. In the evening, we went to the Kibbutz Ceremony, which was of course all in Hebrew. We remembered victims of the Holocaust and also heroes like Oscar Schindler. The next morning, the day of Yom HaShoah, we walked to an overlook(didn't quite get there), to hear the sirens. In Israel, sirens are set off 3 times in the year. When this happens, for two minutes, everyone stops, cars, people and everyone is silent for 2 min in remembrance.
Today, is Yom HaZicaron, Memorial Day, which is for the memory of those killed while serving the the Israeli Army, and those killed in terrorist attacks. It is probably the saddest day in Israel. Last night, we went to the Wailing Wall for the big ceremony that happens there. The President of Israel and Secretary of State both talked and the military was present. The area was filled with people. We sang HaTikvah and said the Mourner's Kaddish. This morning, we went to the Kibbutz Ceremony at the Tzuba Cemetery. There have been two soldiers from Tzuba killed while fighting, so the ceremony focused mainly on them. It was very moving to see all of the Kibbutz members together, mourning the loss of the two boys whom most of them knew. Members of the army were there to place flowered wreaths on their graves, and one father and one brother spoke about their relatives. By the end, many people were crying and it was a very heavy atmosphere. It felt like Memorial Day at home when I am standing next to a war veteran-it is only him/her that knows the pain of losing someone. Yet in Israel, everyone has been through the army and everyone has had a friend killed, fighting for Israel, so everyone feels the pain. This was the third time that the sirens went off.
And tonight, Yom Ha'atzm'ut begins, Israeli Independence Day! These are the two most Israeli holidays, the saddest and most joyous, back to back. There are Israeli flags everywhere!!
