----- Forwarded Message -----From: "Rabbi Reuven Brand, Rosh Kollel" <info@torahchicago.org>To: "Chana Chroman" <mates57564@aol.com>Sent: Mon, May 13, 2024 at 11:01 AMSubject: Yom Hazikaron 5784
B'SD
May 13, 2024 | ה׳ אייר תשפ״ד
Dear Kollel Community, עמו"ש
Today is Yom Hazikaron, the day on which the State of Israel remembers its fallen soldiers and victims of terror. The Gemara in Berachot (30a) teaches לעולם לישתף איניש נפשיה בהדי ציבורא – a person should always include themselves together with the community. The people of Israel are our community and today – wherever we are – we can include ourselves in the communal experience of Zechira (remembering).
The Hebrew word Zechira has two connotations: remembering and connecting to the source.
Zechira means to remember – to take an image or an idea that has faded from our consciousness and refresh it in our minds. Today we remember those who have given their lives for our land and our people over nine decades of Mesirut Nefesh. From the 1940s and 1950s and the War of Independence and Sinai Campaign through the 1980s and 2000s with two Lebanon Wars and recent campaigns of Cast Lead and Protective Edge in Gaza, over 25,034 men and women died Al Kiddush Hashem defending Israel. 5,100 people were killed Al Kiddush Hashem on buses, at Seder tables and living their daily lives across Israel in terror attacks.
Zechira also means to connect to the root or the source (from the word Zachar). When we ask Hashem to have Zechira it cannot mean to rekindle something forgotten as there is not forgetting before Hashem. Rather it means we ask Hashem to connect with and hold something or someone. Today we do not need to refresh memories of loss as we are currently still in a collective state of loss and trauma. The President of Israel stood at the Kotel in torn clothing last night to signify our state of mourning. We feel the pain of the loss of 822 civilians and 716 members of Israel's security forces who have been killed since October 7.
Last night our Kollel hosted the annual Yom Hazikaron commemoration. Together with our Teffilot and Tehillim we focused on both aspects of Zechira – past and present. Reflecting on the past, Noa Nussbaum, currently on Shlichut from Israel, highlighted the losses from her home community of Otniel. She read the names of each of the seventeen people – her neighbors and friends – who gave their lives fighting to protect Israel or living to protect Israel. She highlighted Elchanan Kalmanson Hy"d zt"l, whose heroic story is featured HERE.
Connecting with the present, we shared stories of those who we have lost in recent months, highlighting the lives of Yehuda Becher Hy'd zt"l HERE, and Shilo Rauchberger Hy"d zt"l HERE.
Eyal Reuveini, Hillel Torah Shaliach and a company commander in Miluim from the 261st brigade, spoke personally about the soldiers whom he commanded and students he taught who have been killed in the IDF over the years and most recently in Gaza. He addressed an open letter to his beloved student, Yinon Tamir Hy"d zt"l, who fell in battle in Gaza in November.
One important note, with which we concluded our evening, is to focus on how Am Yisrael fulfills our calling of Zechira: how we remember. Looking back over the past months we have seen expression of Zechira through the writing of Sifrei Torah, acts of Chessed and Ahavat Yisrael. Here is one beautiful example of how one bereaved father, Alon Mesika, is creating a Zechira for his son, Adir HERE.
We ask Hashem: please bring comfort to the bereaved families – Your children – across Your land. May we merit to seeing the age of Techiyat HaMeitim; in the interim we will continue to find ways to create a Zechira that will be a merit for the souls of the fallen.
תנצב"ה
Rabbi Reuven Brand
Rosh Kollel, YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of Chicago
Bobins Family Chair in Community Jewish Scholarship
Our Contact Information
YU Torah Mitzion Kollel
8233 Central Park Ave
Skokie, IL 600767739736557
Monday, May 13, 2024
Fw: Yom Hazikaron 5784
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