Marvelous because we are never defeated and emerge from attack even stronger.
The arson set in multiple localities yesterday was an attack; three people have been arrested for arson and the Shin Bet is investigating. And this is the message of resilience we impart today as we emerge from the worst of the flames.
The fire is under control, and there is reason to hope that it will be fully extinguished by nightfall. We have international assistance now. Thank Heaven, no one was killed or seriously hurt. I have no reports of houses burnt, either. The flames took large swaths of nature land and forest. And I do mourn for the innocent wildlife that suffered and died during the fire.
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Today we move past this to say Chag Sameach! For it is Yom Ha’atzmaut – Israeli Independence Day: a day for gratitude and gladness. And now I complete my posting of yesterday by writing, as I promised, about this special day.
“We are not the families of bereavement, but the families of heroism.”
Rabbi Yoram Eliyahu, who lost his son, Sgt. first class (res.) Yedidya Eliyahu, in battle in Gaza, expressed this idea in interview. He does not like the term bereavement: “If you call it bereavement, it already has a negative effect on you, and this is not the right message that we should be conveying to the people of Israel. I say this both personally and nationally, the purpose of the Gvura [Heroism] Forum is to bring life back to the people of Israel.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407653
The rabbi with his son:
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We can understand the full meaning of Rabbi Eliyahu’s words as we recognize that the two days are intrinsically entwined.
Last night, there was a shift in the mood of our country as we began Yom Ha’atzmaut, welcoming it with prayer and with song. This marks an abrupt transition from sadness and mourning to rejoicing and gladness that is not always easy to internalize:
Without the sacrifice of those who have given their lives defending and protecting Israel, there would be no sovereign Jewish state today. Thus are their deaths imbued with great meaning. What is more, those who mourn are comforted by the knowledge that the deaths of their loved ones had purpose. It is appropriate, then, or we might say essential, to follow mourning with celebration.
At the same time, as we celebrate the founding of the modern State of Israel, we are called upon to remember with unending gratitude the ultimate price paid by many.
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Here I also want to provide a second perspective, linking Yom Ha’atzmaut with Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day. An article – “Blessed is He who has brought His people thus far” by Dror Eydar – inspired me.
It is now 80 years since the end of the Shoah. In historical terms, a mere blink of an eye. In 1945, the Jewish people were mourning a tragedy of incomprehensible dimensions. We had lost two out of every three European Jews, including academic and religious luminaries; whole communities, and with them a traditional way of life, were decimated; survivors of those communities struggled in their efforts to move forward.
Today, the Jewish People has been revived, and – with help from Above – we have built a sovereign Jewish state. Now there is no such thing as a Jewish refugee: every Jew has a home. We have welcomed into our borders Jews from more than 50 places in the world – in what has likely been, over time, the largest immigration proportionately ever seen. We are coming home after 2,000 years of dispersion. The land is vibrant with diverse cultures and traditions.
We have built a first-world nation, with magnificent medical, agricultural and technological innovations, which we have shared with the world, as well as fine academic institutions. Our population is rated as among the ten happiest in the world. This is true even today with the war. It has to do, I am convinced, with a sense of purpose; this contentment is expressed in part via a high birth rate, which is a mark of hope for the future. Our culture is known for an innovative spirit and informality.
Israel is also a state with a first-class army – an army that has never fought an offensive war. This is perhaps the most important fact of all: Had there been such an army in 1938, we never would have seen the Shoah. We fight only to protect our people and our state, and we demonstrate an outstanding, an extraordinary fighting ethic. This is the fact, in spite of the outrageous, libelous charges leveled against us since October 7. In attempting to protect enemy civilians, we sometimes put our soldiers at greater risk than would otherwise be the case. As to those soldiers, among them are some who, when wounded, insist they absolutely must go back to join their fellow soldiers as quickly as possible, even when they are not required to do so. Such is their devotion.
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Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir spoke at ceremonies at the Kotel on the Eve of Yom Hazikaron.
His comments addressed the extraordinary quality of our soldiers:
“’A voice called, and I went, I went because the voice called.’ Hannah Szenes, the daring paratrooper, wrote these words in 1942 before setting out on her fateful mission, from which she did not return.
“That same voice echoes in the ears of soldiers serving in the IDF, and in all security and rescue organizations, from then until today. At times, the voice accompanies you throughout an entire lifetime. Sometimes, it is an inner voice that bursts forth in an instant, and sometimes it is a real voice — a human cry for help…
“Over the course of a generation, the voice also called out to all those who had already completed their mandatory service — but not their mission. Men and women of the reserves left behind, time and again, spouses, children, parents, brothers and sisters — entire family lives — and answered the call. Even at this very moment, they continue to prove that this is the core of our strength, filling us with deep pride and inspiration. ‘A voice called, and I went’ — a powerful, moral voice, unlike any other…
“A remarkable generation of fearless soldiers has risen! In every arena, in the rear and on the front lines, I meet them — standing shoulder to shoulder, determined, united, heeding the voice that calls to them — understanding the weight of the moment.” (Emphasis added)
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407605
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And so, from this perspective all of the troubles we are confronting seem suddenly diminished in scope and we are able to say Wow! It is a miracle. All of this in 80 years.
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In his article, Dror Eydar (pictured) included this, which is drawn from the Nishmat, a prayer of thanksgiving (with reference to our return to the land in place of reference to the bounties bestowed upon our fathers and us):
“For if our mouths were filled with song like the sea, and our tongues with joy like its roaring waves, our lips with praise as vast as the sky, our eyes shining like the sun and moon, our arms spread like the wings of eagles, and our feet as swift as deer, we still could not give thanks enough for the miracle of our resurrection in our land after 2,000 years.”
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/04/26/blessed-is-he-who-has-brought-his-people-thus-far/
To which we should say a heartfelt Amen!
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I ask for prayers for Israel’s wellbeing.
Pray for the wisdom and courage of our leaders.
Pray for the safety of our brave troops.
Pray that the hostages will be brought home.
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©Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
