Dear Friends,
This week we read the Torah portions addressing leprosy, skin diseases, bodily discharges, and more; how about we skip it for the moment?
Because… today is Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and tonight commences Yom Ha’atzma’ut, Israeli Independence Day… but with a twist.
You see, in the USA, we observe Independence Day on July 4, irrespective of on what day of the week it falls in any individual year. In Israel, however, such is not so. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and Israel’s government determined that Israel’s Independence Day would be the 5th of Iyar, dating to May 14, 1948, the day when Israel declared itself a state. Yet, Israel also stipulated that should that day fall too close to Shabbat, when celebrations, memorials, fireworks, flyovers and parades could not occur, then Yom Ha’atzma’ut would be moved a couple days earlier or later. Such is the case this year.
5 Iyar falls on Shabbat this year, so Israel is marking its commemoration and its celebration today and tomorrow.
Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day, is incredibly moving and unforgettable for anyone who has experienced it. The entire nation pauses to remember its soldiers who have fallen in defense of the nation. At exactly 11:00 am all across Israel, a defense siren is sounded for 120 seconds (120 is the number of seats in the Knesset, and represents 10 times 12, or two full hands for each of the twelve tribes of Israel). When the siren commences, everyone in Israel stops whatever they are doing, and stands silently in remembrance. Cars on roads and freeways stop where they are, and drivers exit and stand by their doors. Children stand by their desks. Doctors stand by bedsides. Pedestrians stand still. The nation remembers all together as one. Television programs are devoted to national remembrance; candles are lit in homes. To date, nearly 24,000 Israelis have died in defense of Israel since its inception.
And then, tonight, partying, parades, concerts, noisemakers, and festive foods will fill the evening and day until Shabbat, tomorrow night. The nation will be celebrating 73 years since Ben-Gurion announced the formation of the Jewish State, and all she has achieved. There is so much to celebrate!
Thus, as this week concludes and Israel-time elides with Torah-time, we see a couple neat, sacred compromises. Yom Ha’atzma’ut moves up to accommodate Shabbat, and for us, we tuck aside leprosy and skin diseases for remembering heroes and celebrating our state.
Let’s sing Hatikvah with a special appreciation tomorrow!
Shabbat Shalom, and happy Yom Ha’atzma’ut!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
This week we read the Torah portions addressing leprosy, skin diseases, bodily discharges, and more; how about we skip it for the moment?
Because… today is Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and tonight commences Yom Ha’atzma’ut, Israeli Independence Day… but with a twist.
You see, in the USA, we observe Independence Day on July 4, irrespective of on what day of the week it falls in any individual year. In Israel, however, such is not so. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and Israel’s government determined that Israel’s Independence Day would be the 5th of Iyar, dating to May 14, 1948, the day when Israel declared itself a state. Yet, Israel also stipulated that should that day fall too close to Shabbat, when celebrations, memorials, fireworks, flyovers and parades could not occur, then Yom Ha’atzma’ut would be moved a couple days earlier or later. Such is the case this year.
5 Iyar falls on Shabbat this year, so Israel is marking its commemoration and its celebration today and tomorrow.
Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day, is incredibly moving and unforgettable for anyone who has experienced it. The entire nation pauses to remember its soldiers who have fallen in defense of the nation. At exactly 11:00 am all across Israel, a defense siren is sounded for 120 seconds (120 is the number of seats in the Knesset, and represents 10 times 12, or two full hands for each of the twelve tribes of Israel). When the siren commences, everyone in Israel stops whatever they are doing, and stands silently in remembrance. Cars on roads and freeways stop where they are, and drivers exit and stand by their doors. Children stand by their desks. Doctors stand by bedsides. Pedestrians stand still. The nation remembers all together as one. Television programs are devoted to national remembrance; candles are lit in homes. To date, nearly 24,000 Israelis have died in defense of Israel since its inception.
And then, tonight, partying, parades, concerts, noisemakers, and festive foods will fill the evening and day until Shabbat, tomorrow night. The nation will be celebrating 73 years since Ben-Gurion announced the formation of the Jewish State, and all she has achieved. There is so much to celebrate!
Thus, as this week concludes and Israel-time elides with Torah-time, we see a couple neat, sacred compromises. Yom Ha’atzma’ut moves up to accommodate Shabbat, and for us, we tuck aside leprosy and skin diseases for remembering heroes and celebrating our state.
Let’s sing Hatikvah with a special appreciation tomorrow!
Shabbat Shalom, and happy Yom Ha’atzma’ut!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
