Israel Memorial Day 2020

Israel Memorial Day 2020

Yom HaZikaron 

 “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”  John Donne

I go to sleep late, as usual in these weird Corona days. Before I shut off my phones for the night , I check my WhatsApp messages one more time. Simon asks me briefly if I want to join the online Azkara of his brother the next day… Of course! I answer, but what time, and I ask him to please send me the link.

Gidon died in the horrible helicopter crash in 1997. I think it was 1997. I know it was while my son, Yarden, was coping with his aggressive cancer; he was only about 3 at the time, when we got the terrible news that Gidon had died. The night it happened, I remember noticing how loud the wind howled through the apartment. Pauline and Charles arrived soon afterwards from London, and years later Charles told me how they had both seen Gidon’s face reflected in the window of the airplane, as they flew on their saddest trip ever to Israel, to bury their youngest son.

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