Bereaved families and friends invited to light candles, share stories Yom Hazikaron Communal Commemoration 2013
The ZCV and the Yom Hazikaron organising committee is seeking candle lighters and stories to include as part of its annual Yom Hazikaron Commemoration, which is scheduled for 14 April.
Yom Hazikaron is the time our community collectively grieves and pays tribute to Israel’s Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror. The Commemoration can also offer some solace to bereaved families and friends of the fallen.
An important aspect of the Yom Hazikaron Commemoration is direct involvement by community members who have lost a family member or friend in one of Israel’s wars or terrorist attacks. The Commemoration is an opportunity for bereaved families and friends to highlight the story and bravery of a fallen loved one and at the same time bring the whole community together in a show of solidarity to collectively commemorate and pay tribute to our fallen heroes and victims of terror. May their memories be forever blessed.
The sensitivity involved in this occasion means that participation in the ceremony depends entirely on the bereaved family or friend, and may include the lighting of a candle which is accompanied by the reading of a biography of the fallen; a photo in the program which every attendee receives and reserved seating in the hall.
The Yom Hazikaron communal co-hosting organisations invite you to contact Isabella at the Zionist Council of Victoria with information about the fallen family member or friend by emailing Irothman@zionismvictoria.org.au or calling 0431 537 779 by 11 February.
At last year’s Yom Hazikaron Commemoration, Efrat Metzler lit a candle for her late uncle Shalom “Charlie” Shlush. On the morning of 20 October 1990, Shlush, 26, who was part of the “Yamam”, Israel’s counter-terrorism unit, was off-duty in Jerusaelm when he encountered a terrorist on a rampage wielding a 15-inch knife. Hearing the screams of Iris Azulay z”l, an 18-year-old female soldier who had been attacked and died at the hands of the terrorist, Charlie grabbed his gun and was followed by Yael, his heavily pregnant wife. Before Charlie was able to reach them, the terrorist also killed Eli Ataraz z”l and managed to slash a 13-year-old boy walking to school. Reaching the terrorist, Charlie fired a warning shot into the air, an attempt to get him to surrender. When that failed, he shot the terrorist in the legs in order to neutralize him, and the terrorist fell wounded to the ground. Charlie ran to arrest him not knowing he was hiding another knife behind his back, and the terrorist fatally stabbed him. Yael gave birth to a baby girl, Shirli, just one week later.
If you know of someone who has lost a member of their family or friend please forward them this message so that they too can be involved.
For more information contact:
Isabella Rothman – Yom Hazikaron Coordinator, Zionist Council of Victoria, Irothman@zionismvictoria.org.au 0431 537 779
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The Zionist Council of Victoria leads and encourages Jewish and Zionist activity and expression within Victoria, to represent the Jewish community, to promote and communicate Israel’s interests within the broader Victorian community and to promote Victoria’s relationship with Israel. For more information, visit the Zionist Council of Victoria website www.zionismvictoria.org.au