Eighteen Hundred and Seventy-Eight Years
The Second Temple, which served as the center of Jewish life in Jerusalem, was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 c.e. It would be 1,878 years before the modern State of Israel declared its independence in 1948. During those years, Jews hoped, prayed, and gave their lives for the dream of Israel.
Yom HaZikaron, which begins tonight, is dedicated to the memory of Israel’s fallen soldiers of war who lost their lives to establish the State of Israel, soldiers who died while defending the country, and victims of terrorism.
My wife and I took our two sons to Israel for the first time when they were ages 11 and 7. Naturally, we went to the Western Wall (Kotel). There is a custom of placing prayer notes (petekim) in the cracks of the Wall. Our sons brought hand-written notes from their friends and classmates to place alongside their own. They carried them in clear Ziploc bags as they approached the Wall for the first time. I walked behind them.
I reached for my camera (no smartphones back then) to capture the moment. With tears streaming down my cheeks, my body quivered (the photos reflect this) as these two little boys took out each note and searched for a crack in the Wall in which to place them. It’s an unforgettable memory.
Were it not for those who gave their lives, all of us and our children would not be able to walk the streets of Israel, take a stroll on the beach walkway (Tayelet) in Tel Aviv, or place prayers in the Western Wall.
May God bless their souls.
Rabbi David Woznica
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