It is Yom Ha'Zikaron!!

"For the dead and the living we must bear witness. For not only are we responsible for the memories of the dead, we are also responsible for what we are doing with those memories."  ~ Elie Wiesel ~

Today, at Sundown ~ 8pm, Israel time ~ is Yom Ha'Zikaron, Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day, the 4th day of Iyar. This coming Tuesday ~ from Sundown on Monday ~  is Yom Ha'Atzmaut  ~ Israel's Independance Day,  which is nominally celebrated on the 5th day of Iyar   (ה' באייר) in the Hebrew calendar, the anniversary of the day in which Israel independence was proclaimed, when David Ben Gurion publicly read the Israeli Declaration of Independence. The corresponding Gregorian date was May 14th, 1948.

We have a duty of Zachor ~ to Remember ~ So,  at 8pm tonight the first siren will go off, enjoining us to remember, for two minutes,  all those who have fallen in the fight to establish and preserve the Jewish State of Israel from pre-state resistance to the 138 members of the IDF we lost this year. In memory of Israel’s 22,867 soldiers and 2,443 civilian terror victims killed since 1860, the year that the first Zionist Pioneers began building new Jewish neighbourhoods outside of the walls of the eternal city of Jerusalem. Our Capital.  It is hard to even attempt to do their memory honour without sounding trite. All I can say is that from the bottom of my soul I am thankful.  This is Mother's Day too .... May the mothers and widows, siblings, fathers and friends of those who have fallen find some peace. May none of us ever take the price that has been paid to walk our anciestral homeland for granted. There are endless stories of drama, heroism and anguish to be told of the sacrifices made.

Only in the merit of the sacrifice of these brave soldiers can we have a Jewish State.  Their courage and self-sacrifice is testimony to the strength of the Jewish people. We bought this land with blood and fire.  When Ha'Shem promised our Father Avraham the Land of Israel, he asked Ha'shem "Ba'meh eda ki erashena ~ How will I know that I will inherit it?".   Ha'Shem answered .. "bazeh, with this ~ Sacrifice!"    Thousands of soldiers gave their lives to liberate our land and protect our people.  63 years after the re-establishment of the State of Israel, we continue to fight and struggle. This Eternal Nation is not afraid of a long journey. 

"A State is not handed to a people on a silver salver" ~ Chaim Weizmann ~ Previous President of Israel & my fellow Irishman.

The Silver Salver .....

The Earth grows still.
The lurid sky slowly pales
Over smoking borders.
Heartsick, but still lving, a people stand by
To greet the uniqueness
of the miracle.

Readied, they wait beneath the moon,
Wrapped in awesome joy, before the light.
~ Then, soon,
A girl and boy step forward,
And slowly walk before the waiting nation;

In work garb and heavy-shod
They climb
In stillness.
Wearing yet the dress of battle, the grime
Of aching day and fire-filled night

Unwashed, weary unto death, not knowing rest,
But wearing youth like dewdrops in their hair,
~ Silently the two approach
And stand.
Are they of the quick or of the dead?

Through wondering tears, the people stare.
"Who are you, the silent two?"
And they reply: "We are the silver salver
Upon which the Jewish State was served to you."

And speaking, fall in shadow at the nation's feet.
Let the rest in Israel's chronicles be told.


Am Yisrael Chai!!!