Today is Memorial Day in Israel, in which the nation’s fallen soldiers are remembered. At 8 pm last night and at 11 am this morning, a siren sounded and everything in the nation stopped. Cars stopped on the freeway and people got out and stood and remembered. For one minute last night and two this morning, classes stopped, work stopped, talking stopped. It’s not much to remember those who have died to give a nation life, but it is something. I don’t know if there is ever a time in the States when everyone all at the same time does the same thing.
I was talking with a neighbor who is about my age when the siren sounded this morning and after we sat back down he told me about his classmate that he grew up with. They had the same name and went to the same school. But his friend died serving in the military. Everyone here has a friend who died. Many have a son, father, or brother.
Todd–remember how last year on Memorial Day, Austin and I met that Jewish guy up at Neve Ilan who cooked us hot dogs, and then when we were walking back to the moshav, you were on guard duty, and we told you about it (ever so excitedly)?
I hope that all goes well with these last 1.5-2 weeks of the semester for you all! I miss all of you!
–Heather :o)