Yom HaZikaron
Ruth Harvey – Head of Hebrew
Yom HaZikaron – יום הזיכרון
While adjusting to the reality of physical distancing, we remain socially connected. The following video clip from Israel depicts the nation’s utter commitment to the memory of its fallen, and how despite isolation Israelis literally stand united in paying the ultimate respect to their loved ones. View video here
As Yom HaZikaron this year could not be held in the traditional manner at Emanuel, it was still upheld in a shared experience by the School community.
Students and staff of Emanuel engaged in a Yom HaZikaron program, which consisted of personal stories of Israelis who lost loved ones, a Yizkor prayer, a memorial candle lighting and a message of hope and call for peace. Participants were given the opportunity to reflect and share their feelings and thoughts following the presentation. They were invited to join together in lighting the Yizkor candle, each in their own home, but together, as reflected in the photos. The film can be viewed here
The program evoked a variety of feelings and realisations for our students and affected each in different ways. Many mentioned being moved and inspired and expressed gratitude for the life that they have.
We thank the overwhelming number of students and staff who shared their reflections so respectfully and thoughtfully. We would have liked to include all 263 of them. The ones included here have been selected as representatives of the collection of responses.
When asked: Why is it important to dedicate a special day every year for Yom HaZikaron? participants responded:
- I think it is important to dedicate a day every year to commemorating fallen soldiers because they lost their lives to ensure that regular civilians have a safe place to live.
- It is important for us to commemorate their passing, celebrate their lives and come together to provide support for one another.
- It is also to continue the hope that one day, there will be no more additions to the lists of people, no more war, only Ahava and Shalom.
- We are a community, and function to support each other.
- Similar to ANZAC Day in Australia we must remember people who risked their lives for us or their countries.
- It is important that we pay respect to people who lost their lives for the state of Israel. By doing this together we get closer as a nation.
- It forces us to stop and think about the losses to our society, and enables us to humanise a death count.
- It’s important to remember the fallen – people die twice, once when the soul leaves their body, and twice when people stop remembering them.
- It’s important to ensure that we don’t just celebrate Israel’s independence, but the people who risked and lost their lives fighting for this cause.
- It is so important to acknowledge the many lives lost for the freedoms and liberties we have today.
- Yom HaZikaron is about reflecting on Israel’s past and remembering those who not only died protecting it, but also those affected by the deaths of their loved ones. Remembering is an important part of healing, and with remembering we hope that one day we won’t need to have any more wars.
When asked to share their thoughts feelings about the film, participants responded:
- The material was very thoughtful and touching, it encapsulated the entirety of what Yom HaZikaron is about.
- Thought it was quite sad, seeing the effect that the war had had on a family and how it had killed a member of it, but at the same time I thought it was inspiring how they continued their lives and managed to keep living.
- I thought the El Malei Rahamim prayer was very reflective and I managed to think about a lot of things to do with my family’s past with my late grandfather being a part of the Yom Kippur war in 1973 and my great grandfather fighting with Poland against Nazi Germany.
- I felt connected to the three children that lost their father in war as I lost one of my cousins from Israel in war.
- Thought this was a nice way to do the ceremony even if we cannot all be together.
- It was very sad to see the kids talk about their fathers. It made me really feel as if I was so lucky and was taking a lot of aspects in my day to day experience for granted.
- Emotional, devastating, sad, inspiring.
- It was a very sad film, but the message behind it is very important and everyone should have the opportunity to reflect on the freedoms that they take for granted today. It also serves as a message to avoid conflict at all costs, because the consequences of armed conflicts between countries are great, causing much sadness and loss.
- I found very moving the singing of El Malei Rahamim at the Western Wall as it showed how everyone in attendance came together as a community to commemorate the lives lost and how a lot of those people in the crowd were personally affected by this.
- Whilst watching the film, it shocked me that being in the army and risking your life has become so normalised in Israel, but still remains so impactful on the families of soldiers. It saddens me that people must lose their loves ones in order to fight for peace.
- I felt very connected to the community when I lit my candle alongside others.
- I think that the film was very moving, and it informed me a lot about Yom HaZikaron.
- My thoughts of the film are what would life be like without my dad?
- I thought the film was overall an excellent way to honour Yom HaZikaron. It was insightful and moving.
- I think the video reminded me that all these people that passed had people who loved them.
- It showed that we must remember the person’s life not their death.
- Proud to be Jewish, a sense of belonging, sad, grateful for being alive and for my family.
- I found the film quite intense and had a strong emotional reaction, but I soon realised that I could move on from this experience and return to my daily life, but the lives of the people in the film are forever changed.
- The experience felt by a family that lost their father and husband resounded deeply in me, as it showed the emotions felt in the aftermath of military tragedy. often, it is easy to ignore a casualty in another country.