AJC Message on Israel's Memorial Day, Yom Hazikaron
April 22, 2007 - Jerusalem -- At eight o'clock this evening, a siren will sound throughout Israel. For one minute Israelis will stop what they are doing and stand quietly in an expression of grief and respect for the fallen in Israel's wars. This custom is probably practiced by more Israelis than such classically Jewish (and commonly observed) customs as attending a Passover Seder or going to synagogue on Yom Kippur. Something powerful happens in Israeli society during this minute, something most people would describe in religious terms like "sacred" or "reverent." What is most striking is to see how very deeply personal it is. On the street one sees few people actually standing at attention. Most stand quietly with their hands either at their sides or held in front. Families stand together. Couples may hold hands. The comportment of people on the street reminds very much of the way they behave when visiting a cemetery - quiet, dignified, yet deeply engaged. The reason for this is not hard to find. According to the Israeli government 22,305 men and women have died in the creation and defense of this country. In a country one fiftieth the population of the United States, this is the equivalent of well over a million war dead. As a result, it is hard to find an Israeli for whom this day is not personal. Almost all Israelis have a particular person, or a number of people whom they remember on Yom Hazikaron. This can be an army buddy, a friend from high school, an aunt or uncle after whom one is named, a neighbor killed in a terror attack. Following the siren, a central commemoration is held at the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem. Local ceremonies take place around the country. On Yom Hazikaron itself, at eleven o'clock, a siren sounds for two minutes and a central memorial ceremony is held at the Mt. Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. Local ceremonies take place at military graveyards around the country. Families of the fallen visit the graves of their loved ones. The flag is at half mast. The ceremonies are by no means confined to the Jewish population of the country. An important bond is expressed on this day. This is a day shared with the members of non-Jewish minority groups who serve in the armed forces. In every Druze and Circassian town and village, this is also a day of gathering in cemeteries to remember the departed. Recognizing this alliance, the American Jewish Committee recently participated in the publication of a memorial pamphlet honoring master sergeant Wasim Nazal, a Druze soldier killed in the Hezbollah attack that launched the Second Lebanon War. For American Jews, Yom Hazikaron presents a conundrum. While there is clear sympathy for the suffering of Israelis, this particular commemoration has never developed traction in the American Jewish community. Generally, American Jewish leaders have seen this as an internal Israeli event while Israelis tend to see their sacrifice coming on behalf of the entire Jewish people. In addition, as Americans, there is no doubt that the Jewish community is influenced by the low-key status of Memorial Day in the United States. Few American Jews participate in America's Memorial Day ceremonies. It could be that this is something we should reconsider. After all, 22,305 individuals are the largest number of Jews and friends of the Jews to die in a Jewish cause since the Holocaust. Perhaps in time we will come to see this commemoration as much a world Jewish day of sorrow, as we see Purim a worldwide Jewish day of joy. That story takes place in Persia, but no one would argue that only Persian Jews have a stake in commemorating Purim. This message was prepared by Rabbi Ed Rettig is associate director of AJC's Israel/Middle East Office.
Ari M. Gordon Assistant Director Department of Interreligious Affairs American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 891-6768 (212) 751-4000 x266 www.ajc.org www.engagingamerica.org