Shalom! My name is Ziv Shalev, and I’m the ShinShin here at Congregation Shaare Emeth from Israel for the year. It’s an honor to write to you and to be able to share a bit of my perspective. Being part of a Jewish community outside of Israel reminds me how deeply connected we all are, no matter where we are in the world.
As a Jewish people, we share many holidays and traditions that unite us across the globe. Whether we are in Israel, the United States, or anywhere else, our shared customs keep us connected as one people. However, Israel also has its own national days—ones that may appear on the global calendar but are truly felt only in Israel. And tonight, I would love to tell you about one of these days: Yom HaZikaron – a day that deeply shapes not only Israel’s history but also my own personal story.
Yom HaZikaron is one of the most difficult days in Israel. It is a day when we stop everything to remember and honor the Israeli soldiers and victims who lost their lives in war and acts of terror. Some of my first recollections of Yom HaZikaron are from first grade, standing at the school ceremony, listening to the heartbreaking words of families who lost their loved ones. I remember sitting quietly, absorbing the sorrowful songs with lyrics that carried so much pain.
From first grade through high school, Yom HaZikaron was always a solemn and meaningful day. As I grew older, I began to understand its significance on a deeper level. Suddenly, I knew names, faces—people I had met—who were no longer with us.
I never imagined that one day I would hear their names being honored in the ceremony.
This day is painful for all of Israel, yet at the same time, it is a day of unity. We feel each other’s pain, we share in the grief, and we remember together. We recognize that those who fell sacrificed their lives to protect us, to protect Israel, to ensure that we can live in peace and security. They fought so that children could grow up without fear, so that we could live in a reality that feels normal, not one filled with uncertainty and danger.
This year, for the first time in my life, I will be observing Yom HaZikaron outside of Israel. I will be far from my family, my friends, and the place where I am used to marking this day in a formal and respectful ceremony. I worry that it will feel different, that I will feel distant from my people at a time when all of Israel mourns together.
But I find comfort in knowing that even here, outside of Israel, in this Jewish community, we will come together to commemorate this day. I hope that we will stand together, remember together, and connect with the grief of the families and the mourning of the entire nation of Israel. I hope to see our whole Jewish community come to this year’s Yom HaZikaron ceremony at the JCC on Tuesday, April 29, at 7 p.m., to show support, to offer a distant embrace, and to remind ourselves that no matter where we are, we are one, connected at heart. RSVP here.
In addition to the ceremony, I will also be leading a special class on Tuesday, April 29, at 10 a.m. with Rabbi Lori Levine in honor of Yom HaZikaron. This will be a meaningful opportunity to dive deeper into personal stories, discuss the impact of this day, and explore the importance of days of memory in Israeli society. You can find details and RSVP for this program here.
I would love for you to join me at one or both of these programs for a moment of reflection and learning. Thank you.
