04/30/2025
Today is Yom Hazikaron and tomorrow, Yom Ha’atzmaut. This is the second set of Israeli Memorial and Independence Days since October 7th, 2023, when terrorists from Gaza infiltrated southern Israel and murdered over 1,200 Israelis and took hostage another 251 souls. Specifically it has been 571 days since our world shook. As I write this message, fifty nine hostages remain in Gaza with twenty four still living the nightmare; may they experience freedom tomorrow.
As frequently occurs after terrorist attacks in Israel, government supporters and critics launch into an exploration of what should happen next. Let Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut guide us, and may we be mindful of one lesson from the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony.
On Yom Hazikaron, we grieve the many lives lost and the potential unrealized. We mourn the human beings who fought for something greater than themselves. We remember our friends and family, neighbors and acquaintances, coworkers and social enemies who paid the ultimate sacrifice for Jewish autonomy in the Jewish homeland. The next day, on Yom Ha’atzmaut, we celebrate the outcome of their sacrifice, not despite their loss but because of it. We honor them by dedicating the day to the nation for which they fought; we live our lives and we do so with a smile.
At Jewish weddings, the joyous ceremony concludes with breaking of glass. Of the many meanings ascribed to this ritual, one rings truest in these times. We dim our joy because somewhere, someone does not share our exuberance. How can we fully celebrate while other people suffer? How can we smile while twenty four human beings languish in captivity?
Many of us are still picking up the pieces nearly two years after that tragic day. We continue to pray daily for the victims of the horrifying attack as well as for their families. Today, we honor the fallen soldiers who gave their lives to Israel and tomorrow, we celebrate the fruits of their labor. October 7th must not prevent us from celebrating the miracle of Israel: that after so long, we control our own destiny in our independent state of which generations of Jews could only dream. Yet in our celebration, we remember the broken glass that leads us to work towards a more peaceful future.
L'Shalom!
Rabbi Kevin Lefkowitz
