Dear Families of our fallen,
Veterans of the IDF,
My colleagues from the Israel Embassy and other representatives of the State of Israel in South Africa,
My brothers and sisters of our Jewish community,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yom Hazikharon is a very unique day on our calendar. Israel stops. Actually, literally, stops. Twice. Almost exactly at this moment, at 8pm tonight and then again tomorrow morning at 1100, sirens blare and all of Israel stops to recognize that 23,169 men and women have given their lives, as the iconic Natan Alterman poem describes it, as a silver platter, מגש הכסף, that made the State of Israel possible.
All of Israel, for this one day, unites. We stop our discussions of politics, of the economy, of disagreements on the range of everyday issues that we often see as “important”. We remember what is truly important, how fragile the existence of our State of Israel actually has been. And we put at the center of our world the families of those soldiers who granted us our State, who make our people – not only in Israel – but around the world, safe and secure.
As President Peres noted last year as he spoke to the families of the fallen soldiers in front of the Kotel, “In a day or two the flags will be folded. The trumpets will return to their regular sounds and Israel will go back to its daily routine. You will also return to your regular routines, but it will never be the same as ours… We who walked side by side with your children, who saw them in the last moments of their lives, we know that this evening there are no words that can heal that pain… We are here today to say to you that we know there is no comfort for someone who lost a son, a husband, a father, a brother. That we cannot replace those who have gone. But maybe it will comfort you, even a little, the knowledge that we, your family, your friends, we remember them and will always remember them”.
And, of course, to our great sadness, but with some pride, South African Jewry has an honored place in this history. Olim from South Africa have fought in every war in Israel’s history and we have lost 86 sons and daughters of this land protecting Midinat Yisrael. It is interesting, perhaps that the number 86 translates in gematria to the word “po”. It is spelled incorrectly as the word is spelled פ-ה and not פ-ו. Nevertheless, there a lovely message in the word “po”. It means “here”. And if you have played with dreidels, svivonim, on Hanukkah you know that the dreidels that are made for use around the world have the letter ש for the word שם; there. But in Israel, we use the letter פ, for פה – here. And so it was for those Israeli South Africans. They knew that “here” meant Israel.
There is a beautiful memorial in Israel in the Lavi Forrest near the Golani Junction that honors those individuals. We are currently planning a smaller version of that memorial that will be on the grounds of the Embassy as a constant reminder of these Israeli South Africans – men and women who died to protect the State of Israel. We hope to inaugurate it on יום הזכרון next year.
As I was preparing for tonight, I read many of the stories of these 86 heroes. And every story is a whole universe, a world of pain and of heroism. Two amazing stories – intertwined into one - were the lives of Neil Freed and David “Dudi” Silbowitz. Neil, was born here in Johannesburg, in 1948, only one month before Israel was declared and Dudi was born later that year in Cape Town. They, like many of you, went to school and university here in South Africa and were involved as leaders in the Habonim youth movement. Both made aliyah at age 23, were members of the same Ga’arin, הוד, and travelled to Europe together. Soon after that both joined Zahal as within the Nachal framework. Both eventually became tankists and finished their army duty.
Neil got married to Jenny Kahn and Dudi was one of the founders of cricket and rugby in Israel – he proudly represented Israel in the 1973 Maccabiah Games and they both settled into life as neighbors at Kibbutz Yizre’el. With the breaking out of the Yom Kippur War, both were called up and sent to Sinai. Through the chaos of the first days of the war – they ended up together in the same tank and crossed the Suez Canal, with a third soldier, Shaul Ephraim. On 18 October 1973, in a battle to rescue trapped paratroopers, their tank was hit twice and all three were killed. Dudi was 24 and Neil was 25 years old and they were buried near each other at Kibbutz Yizre’el. Both would have been 66 years old this year.
יהי זכרם ברוך
Dear friends,
When we look out together from within this deep sadness and mourning, we need to be able to clearly see this historic place of ours called the State of Israel. To see our victories on the battlefields and in peace. The vibrant pulse of creativity. The fantastic achievements that place Israel at the forefront of the world in so many fields. The fact that all of us know, we know, that we have a home waiting for us. And today, Israel's existence is no longer in question. Israel’s people and our צה"ל is ready for any scenario, against any enemy. Against any danger.
The courage and spirit of the soldiers of the IDF and their commanders, their courage and faith in the righteousness of our path together with the preservation of their morals and values are the guarantees that Tzahal and מדינת ישראל will prevail. We know it. Our enemies have learnt it. May they not err again. We are reminded of our duty, especially on days like today, to spare no effort and no cost to bring peace and security to our people. Because even if the price of peace might be heavy – we will always be able to bear it. Terror and war bring death. Peace brings life. For us and for our neighbors.
So that is who we are. We are the privileged beneficiaries of Neil Freed and Dudi Silbowitz. And the others that make up the פ"ו of South African Jewry. And all of those who gave their lives so that we can live. And beyond those that died, there are so many more that were wounded. I met a number of them, three wounded IDF veterans – Amir Levy, Assi Stokol and Itay Erinlib, who were in South Africa last week to participate very admirably at Ellis Park at the South African Open Wheelchair Tennis Tournament. I was lucky enough to get to meet and thank these heroes.
Haverim, we owe a debt. And with this debt – for all of us, the direct beneficiaries, brings responsibility. We must carry on this silver platter, מדינת ישראל, forward for the next generation. We must continue to be vigilant to build a place worthy of these great people, the price they paid and their memories.