It's a solemn day and each story is more painful than the next. There is nary a family in Israel who hasn't had a loved one, or friend murdered by terrorists or in war. That is the price, the awful, heavy flesh and blood price of having a Jewish homeland.
Here's a piece on Solemn Remembrance from the Weekly Standard.
There are a lot of really touching stories. I will post them throughout the day. But for starters, I thought this one was very touching. It's about a couple who 'adpoted' a grave and said Kaddish (the mourners prayer) for an abandoned grave and the soldier within.
As always, the IDF Blog has some beautifully written stories that really personify the depth of the losses, and the schol (Hebrew for bereavement, the constant state of grief and loss).
Here, a comment from a bereaved parent: Wounds That Don't Heal.
The video below about Michael Levin z"l made me weep. I urge you to watch it.
In the dusk of Memorial Day, the Independence Day celebrations begin. The entire country transitions together from grief to celebration. It's a strange, very Israeli, very Jewish, very tough and very wonderful thing.
