Yom HaZikaron

Last night we went to a ceremony in Rabin Square in remembrance of all of Israel's fallen soldiers. On the way there, at 8pm, there was a siren that was heard throughout the country, and on the street everyone stopped, the cars, the buses, the people walking. Many who were in their cars got out of the car and stood. It was as if the city held its breath for the one minute of the siren. It made me think about the difficulty of life here. That teenagers from every generation die, every generation. There is no break. By the time we got there, there were no chairs left--and thousands of people standing in the square. The program started 15 minutes late, and it was a mix of poems, songs (sung by Noa, Idan Raichel and some other famous Israeli artists) and videos which told the stories of soldiers who had died. They interviewed the families of these soldiers and it was incredibly emotional. The pain in the square was so palpable it was unbearable. The ceremony was a little over 2 hours long and after hearing so many horrific stories, and watching so many mothers crying over their children, I think I just shut down. My hebrew became non existant, and all I can think is that it was self-preservation. I really just couldn't take any more. All in all, it was definitely a worthwhile experience, albeit especially painful.

Tonight is the beginning of Yom HaAtzmaut, which is Israeli independence day. It is a total switch. The mourning ends and the celebration begins. Last night, I said to Yuval that I needed a day in between to get into the mood to celebrate. I can't imagine what it is like for people who today visit their loved ones grave and then tonight are expected to dance in the streets.

That is the big activity for the week. Oze is coming to stay with us tonight, along with one of the boys who he is hiking with; we are very excited for that! Tomorrow we will go to a bbq in the park.

It has been really hard to transition back into life here. I can't seem to find the patience to accept almost any difficulty. I am really trying hard to act like a normal person, but the lifestyle here is just so not for me. Anyway, I will keep trying.

Love,
Sarah