Recently, surrounding Israel's Memorial and Independence days, I became aware of Israelis discussing whether it was required to stand for the moment of silence that is observed throughout the country. At 8 pm and 11 am a siren sounded nationwide calling for a moment of silence to remember/honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our Homeland.
Leaving politics and religion aside we still have דרך ארץ - Basic respect (which comes before Tora). God saw fit to give us our own state in our ancestral homeland. We have the freedom to lives the kind of Jewish life we want to live. In exchange for this freedom Hashem took the lives of 22,684 of our people. Soldiers stand on the line day and night doing their part to keep us safe. Part of thanking God for this freedom involves thanking the soldiers fulfilling their duty and respecting those who died in the process. Furhtermore, Yom Ha'Atzmaut is becoming a day of bbq's without meaning. While some people say speacial prayers to thank God, and others spend the day studying Tora, some view it as simply a day off.
God gave us a tremendous gift. We need to thank Him for it and remember the process by which we have been keeping it, remember that which we've lost, and refocus on our mission to make Israel the Jewish Nation: עם ישראל בארץ ישראל על פי תורת ישראל
That said, we can change the process to one that works better. I still get excited about those only in Israel things. For example: Only in Israel do the marquis on buses wish you a חג שמח on Pesach, while Xmas goes unmentioned. Today I heard songs that are straight out of Tehillim on a major radio station.Also, it occurred to me that here everyone says Yom Ha'Azmaut Sameach or Chag Ha'Azmaut Sameach. On Independence Day in the U.S. almost everyone says happy July 4. Our country is still young enough that even those that don't feel the power of the day and what it means still understand that the day is special. In the U.S. the meaning of the day is lost.
Leaving politics and religion aside we still have דרך ארץ - Basic respect (which comes before Tora). God saw fit to give us our own state in our ancestral homeland. We have the freedom to lives the kind of Jewish life we want to live. In exchange for this freedom Hashem took the lives of 22,684 of our people. Soldiers stand on the line day and night doing their part to keep us safe. Part of thanking God for this freedom involves thanking the soldiers fulfilling their duty and respecting those who died in the process. Furhtermore, Yom Ha'Atzmaut is becoming a day of bbq's without meaning. While some people say speacial prayers to thank God, and others spend the day studying Tora, some view it as simply a day off.
God gave us a tremendous gift. We need to thank Him for it and remember the process by which we have been keeping it, remember that which we've lost, and refocus on our mission to make Israel the Jewish Nation: עם ישראל בארץ ישראל על פי תורת ישראל
That said, we can change the process to one that works better. I still get excited about those only in Israel things. For example: Only in Israel do the marquis on buses wish you a חג שמח on Pesach, while Xmas goes unmentioned. Today I heard songs that are straight out of Tehillim on a major radio station.Also, it occurred to me that here everyone says Yom Ha'Azmaut Sameach or Chag Ha'Azmaut Sameach. On Independence Day in the U.S. almost everyone says happy July 4. Our country is still young enough that even those that don't feel the power of the day and what it means still understand that the day is special. In the U.S. the meaning of the day is lost.
Here are some cute stories about the kids and becoming Israeli:
Netanel has a special teacher for an hour a week to help him learn Hebrew. Last week they were doing a game that went through all the Hebrew letters. At the letter chet (ח) she asked Tani who protects the State of Israel. Ayelet was still at the gan and heard his immediate reply: Hashem. Afterward he also gave the answer solders (chayalim).
In other Tani news, he is being very careful to make brachot. Even if we don't remind him he always asks us what bracha to make on his food.
When I got home from work today Odeliya and I had an entire conversation in Hebrew. She initiated and stuck to Hebrew even when I spoke in English. It was very impressive. She slipped in English a few times, but did better than me. At one point Ayelet and I just stared at each other wondering how the heck this happened.
Netanel has a special teacher for an hour a week to help him learn Hebrew. Last week they were doing a game that went through all the Hebrew letters. At the letter chet (ח) she asked Tani who protects the State of Israel. Ayelet was still at the gan and heard his immediate reply: Hashem. Afterward he also gave the answer solders (chayalim).
In other Tani news, he is being very careful to make brachot. Even if we don't remind him he always asks us what bracha to make on his food.
When I got home from work today Odeliya and I had an entire conversation in Hebrew. She initiated and stuck to Hebrew even when I spoke in English. It was very impressive. She slipped in English a few times, but did better than me. At one point Ayelet and I just stared at each other wondering how the heck this happened.
Yitzchak is still a cute, happy baby. He is starting to stand on his own. Before long he'll be running to keep up with his siblings. I hope they'll wait up for him. Then I canhave some quiet time :).
In summation, we moved here to be partof the Jewish people, and I think we're integrating nicely. Maybe now Hashem will remove some of the yissurin.
Shabbat Shalom.
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