יום הזיכרון 2019
Our dear bereaved families,
Soldiers of Israel’s wars,
Dear Guests,
At this moment exactly, ceremonies marking Yom Hazikaron for our 23,745 fallen soldiers and terror victims, begin across Israel. A siren is sounded, that unites us in purpose – to remember the sacrifice and unbearable pain of the bereaved families that have lost their loved ones.
We owe all we have to those heroes. We are here on their merits and the merits of their families that lost their whole world in an instant. We mark this day of remembrance once a year, but these families carry their pain with them, every second, every minute, since that dreaded phone call, or knock on the door.
The pain of the bereaved families also made its way here, to South Africa. The 88 bereaved families of South Africa, whose children made Aliyah, or volunteered in Israel, symbolize the unbreakable connection between the State of Israel and the Jewish community here. I recommend to anyone who thinks to put distance between Israel and this remarkable Jewish community – to think again. The Mahal volunteers who left their lives, their studies, without a moment of hesitation, in order to defend their beloved Israel, is proof we are forever connected. Their exceptional bravery and love for Israel is eternally engraved in our hearts and will always mark the covenant between us.
“In their death, they commanded us to live”. And so this evening we will act according to their commandment, and begin to celebrate our independence day. Think for a moment, how proud they would be with what we have accomplished, if only they could join us for one moment. They would stand next to us, giving us a big hug, while looking around and asking: “could this be possible? Did we create all of this in such a short amount of time?”.
It’s important that we remember them all year, and not only today and tomorrow. It’s important that we accompany each action with the thought: “how would they see this? What would they have wanted us to do?”. We must do all we can to ensure that they continue to be proud of us, because in their death they didn’t only command us to live, but they commanded us how to live, and what path we must follow.
Israel is a miracle occurring right before our eyes. But this miracle came at a terrible cost, all those young men and women that were here one moment, and gone the next. Israel is becoming more secure with every day that goes by. The numbers of the fallen and victims of terror are rapidly declining. But it is still our duty to ensure that the last fallen will be the last fallen.
And so, we promise to the fallen and their families that we will continue to carry the flag of those no longer with us. We will continue to build a strong and safe country, a flourishing country, a home for any Jew, that gives equal rights and opportunity to all its citizens. A country that reaches the moon but with its feet solid on the ground. A country that will make you proud.
May their memory be a blessing.