obituaries
Yom HaZikaron from page 65
sion stations play programs about Israel's
wars and show programing that reflects the
somber mood of the day.
As on Yom HaShoah (Remembrance of
the Holocaust), air raid sirens are sounded
twice during Yom HaZikaron. With the
first siren sounded in the morning, just
before the nation's public ceremony, the
entire country comes to a complete stand-
still. Busy traffic grinds to a halt; people
stop in mid-sentence; drivers park their
cars and stand at attention on the side of
the road as the entire country observes two
minutes of silence.
At nightfall, immediately prior to the
public recitation of prayers in military
cemeteries, the sirens again sound. In
Jerusalem, 12 torches are lit to signify that
Memorial Day officially has ended and
Independence Day is about to begin.
First Impressions
What is it like to be in Israel on a glorious
spring day during the national holidays
of Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut?
Jewish Detroiters who have been there
offer their thoughts.
"I'll never forget the Yom HaZikaron we
experienced together as a delegation of
nearly 80 young Detroiters on a national
United Jewish Communities mission
of 3,500 participants. Our group was at
Mount Herzl in the evening, along with
hundreds of Israelis, when we heard that
Dymshitz and Kutnetsov (two famous
heroes in the Refusenik movement who
had been sentenced to death) just arrived
in Israel and were coming to Mount Herzl!
The news electrified us.
"One of our Detroit leaders had been
wearing a bracelet in solidarity with the
Refuseniks for years. She couldn't contain
herself and managed to make her way
through the crowd, get through the secu-
rity and actually hand the bracelet to them!
An unforgettable moment for all of us."
— Sally Krugel, director
Federation's Miracle Mission IV
"We have our Memorial Day, but Israel
takes Yom HaZikaron to a whole different
level. What is absolutely stunning for me
— particularly the first time I experienced
it on a UJC Mission in 1976 — is to see
the entire country simultaneously stop and
come to attention.
"I was just a neophyte on a bus, part of
the Young Leaders Delegation from Detroit
(on the same mission with Richard and
Sally Krugel), when suddenly we stopped,
got out and stood on the side of the road as
the sirens sounded.
"Really, it's an audio and visceral experi-
Marta Rosenthal, third from left, with a Miracle Mission IV group in Israel
ence. As you're standing in place listening
to the one siren closest to you, you hear
other sirens go off one by one in the dis-
tance — like a chain reaction. The effect
is an awesome chorus of sound that gives
you the overwhelming impression that
the entire country is standing in unison.
There's nothing like it in the world.
"And I'll never forget our visit to Mount
Herzl — Israel's Military Cemetery — later
that evening. You know, in Israel, there's no
differentiation between soldiers' graves by
rank. Every soldier is equal. That, in itself,
is amazing and unique to Israel. But to be
in that cemetery at sundown and to join
thousands of Israelis breaking out from
sorrow to joy and excitement is an unfor-
gettable experience."
— Larry Jackier, past Federation
president, co-chair Miracle Mission II
and leader of multiple missions to Israel
"I was in our Partnerhsip2Gether region
with dear friends from Migdal HaEmek.
They took me to the community's cer-
emony for Yom HaZikaron. So sad and
emotional for all. And, that same night,
I'll never forget — we were in the streets
dancing and watching fireworks. Amazing!
From tears to absolute joy!"
— Marta Rosenthal, past chair
of Federation's Israel and Overseas
Committee and P2G Michigan Steering
Committee
A Day To Remember
As We Stand Together
Let us join together to honor those
who have fallen so that Israel may
continue to stand at Yom HaZikaron,
Israel's National Memorial Day, at
5:30 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at the
Berman Center for the Performing
Arts, West Bloomfield.
There is no charge for this com-
munity-wide commemoration. For
details, contact Alicia at (248) 642-
5617 or Felhandler@jfmd.org .
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Obituaries