by Rabbi Josh Knobel
Each year, Israelis remember the price of their independence and security by sharing the stories of those who died in defense of their nation or in terror attacks. For the families and students of the El-Harizi Elementary School, this commemoration, known as Yom HaZikaron, is more than a national day of mourning. It is a personal day, one for remembering children who, not long ago, wandered the halls, played basketball on the yard, and smiled with their teachers.
Though tragedy remains a frightening element of our existence, Israelis choose to revisit the fear and discomfort that it creates in order to make meaning make meaning from tragedy.
As the American news cycle quickly turns away from our ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, as well as recent outbreaks of deadly violence in Las Vegas and, now, Northern California, Israel offers us an opportunity to evaluate how we honor our American dead. How do we share their stories? How can we give their passing meaning?
All too often, we don’t. The memory of our heroes, as well as innocent victims of violence, fades quickly into obscurity as we turn to more “newsworthy” matters. But, if we want the lives, and deaths of these fallen, to matter, then we must undertake the challenge of commemorating them to our local and national consciousness.