Yom Ha’atzmaut

Dear friends,

When I was in Israel at the beginning of April, I had the opportunity to visit the military cemetery at Mount Herzl where hundreds of funerals have taken place since October 7th. My colleagues and I met there with Nissimi Naim-Naor, who as part of his reserve duty works with the grieving families of fallen soldiers to arrange funerals. Nissimi shared with us the details of coordinating so many funerals and helped us to understand how Israel has dealt with the constant loss of young life since October 7th. None of us could imagine the toll that these funerals have taken on both Nissimi and the broader Israeli public.

As we listened to Nissimi speak, we noticed young soldiers in another part of the cemetery practicing marching for the upcoming Yom Ha’atzmaut commemoration. While Nissimi spoke about death and loss, jubilant music was played by a band and soldiers marched with Israeli flags. It was a strange juxtaposition of realities.  

In Israel, Memorial Day and Independence Day are observed together. The holidays begin with the mourning of those lost in Israel’s wars and continue with the celebration of Israel’s birth. Grief and joy are intermingled for two full days. 

For Americans, this seems a strange union of emotions but for Israelis, this is reality. Israel’s joy is mired with tremendous sorrow – it is a joy mixed with pain – a recognition that the creation and the continued sustenance of the Jewish state has come at a great expense. In truth, this recognition of loss ensures that Israel’s joy is measured –- that Israel’s joy does not blind it from its responsibilities and obligations to its citizens and to the world. 

Today, we celebrate Israel’s independence. We celebrate seventy-six years of Israel’s existence. But in doing so, we also grieve for those who have lost their lives to Israel’s defense.

Let us resolve to allow our pain to heighten our sense of affinity to Jewish values. Let Israel be a nation that reflects a Jewish vision for a world redeemed.

And with that, let us all wish Israel a very happy and a hopeful seventy-sixth birthday…

Rabbi

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