Israel in Focus

Israel celebrates it’s independence day on the 5th Iyar, according to the Hebrew calendar. Every year, the day before is Israel’s Day of Remembrance, commemorating those who have fallen in defending the State and those who have fallen victim to terror. This combination of the two days creates a very complicated transition from mourning the loved ones we have lost, to celebrating the State we live in and it’s establishment.

However, in it’s own way these two days actually compliment each other rather than contradict. There is nothing more meaningful when celebrating a happy event, than remembering how we got to that point. When we celebrate a marriage we remember the elder family members and the parents, thanking them for getting us to this happy point. When we celebrate a graduation we remember the hard work and dedication of the students and teachers to get there. When we celebrate establishment of a state, we remember those who sacrificed their lives so we could live here. It actually adds an extra element to the celebration, as we understand the cost that has been paid for us to get here and therefore encourages us to not let that cost be in vain.

I was on a tour of Har Herzl the day before Yom Hazikaron 2021, my first time being in Israel for this period. My tour guide, a man injured during his service in the army, took us to numerous famous graves as well as a few of his friends graves, and spoke to us about this transition from remembering to celebrating. He made a point that has always stuck with me. These people didn’t sacrifice their lives for us to be miserable, for us to lose hope about how high the cost is. They took those risks knowingly, so that we could live a more peaceful, happier life in our country. Let’s not let that be in vain, let’s not let them die in vain, they wanted us to be able to go to the beach and live life to it’s fullest, to enjoy it here in our homeland. We make sure to remember their sacrifice, and then we remember what they sacrificed their lives for.

This defines my understanding of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut. I make sure to remember those who sacrificed their lives, make sure to think about why they did it and what motivated them to still go and take those risks. I think about what we gained from them, what we gained from their sacrifice. Then having taken and continue to take those risks myself during my army service, specifically in reserve duty during this war, I go ahead and celebrate what we have, and will continue to have, due to our heroes.