Today is remembrance day for all the soldiers that have given their lives so that we may have the privilege of living in Israel. Last night five of us went to Kikar Rabin in Tel Aviv to participate in the memorial ceremony. This took place after a one minute siren was sounded throughout the entire country. At that moment everyone stopped what they were doing and stood in silence reflecting on the ultimate sacrifice made by all of these young men and women in order for us to continue to live in one of the most blessed places on earth.It is a difficult day for me to read and listen to stories of some of the young soldiers that have fallen. Having served in the Israel Defense Forces in the 1980’s and having my son Ori serve in the Nachal brigade in Lebanon I understand the fears that run through the minds of parents while our children are protecting our way of life. It is also a day to reflect on the innocent women, children and men that have lost their lives in terror attacks by the most evil methods on earth. Approximately 18 percent of all the victims of terror have been children. I have first hand experience coping with the uncertainty of not knowing if your child is alive or dead after a terror attack. It took place about one year ago in the Sinai town of Ras-a-Satan. It was there that my daughter had been vacationing with some of her friends in this pristine enclave. That evening terrorists blew up a hotel complex in the Taba region on the border with Israel and in the small enclave where she stayed just a half hour south. When we got word of the attack in Ras-a-Satan all I could do was pray that she was alright. After two heart wrenching hours of not knowing her fate we received a quick cell phone call from a friend of hers letting us know that she was ok. We of course were relieved but the details of the attack were just as nerve racking as waiting to hear from her. It was a miracle she survived. She had just lain down in her hut near the restaurant that was blown up when shrapnel flew everywhere shredding everything around her with in inches of her body. There was nothing left of the hut. Two inches from her head were chunks of shrapnel that had fallen from the blast.. One of her friends was not as lucky and was instantly killed standing just outside her hut. Others were seriously wounded. This experience changed her life with a profound sense of Carpe Diem Children are our most precious gift. It is our obligation to insure that they are not exploited and that we do everything in our power to make peace with our enemies in order for all of our children to reach their destinies unperturbed by the scars of war. May the Blessed One open up the hearts of all us so that we may come to this greater understanding living in peace and prosperity. May all of the families and friends of the fallen find some peace and comfort in the nations mourning of their sons and daughters.
