Israel will mark this year’s Memorial Day beginning this evening (Monday night) when a siren will sound across the country. According to tradition, Tel Aviv University organized a university-wide break in studies for its Yom Hazikaron Memorial Ceremony which was held on campus this afternoon. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of students, University staff and faculty members.
“Even when wars are fought far from the civilian home front, the feeling is always that we are all participating in the war.” – Prof. Ariel Porat
“We Are All Participating in the War”
Prof. Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, opened the ceremony with a recognition of both the personal and national pain of loss caused by war and terror attacks. “Even when wars are fought far from the civilian home front, the feeling is always that we are all participating in the war…parents, children, siblings and relatives – they all take part in it.”
Prof. Ariel Porat
“Many of us have strong personal memories from wars, accompanied by worries on the one hand, and for most of us, a sense of relief once everything was seemingly over. But there are those who do not get to enjoy any sense of relief. Those who pay the ultimate price. For them, the end of the war only marks the beginning of their pain. They are then faced with the worst of all: the loss of a loved one.”
“In addition to personal bereavement, which is without a doubt the most horrendous of all, we also mourn collectively.”
“One day each year, the bereaved families let everyone else join them. One day a year, the bereaved families allow their fellow citizens to feel that they too are the bereaved.” – Eyal Magini
Eyal Magini
One Day Each Year
Eyal Magini, father of Eytam Magini and Tal Morad, sister of Tomer Morad, two TAU students who were murdered in last year’s terror attack in the heart of Tel Aviv, fondly remembered their loved ones in speeches and expressed the difficulty of the past year without them.
Eyal Magini spoke warmly about his son Eytam, who was abruptly taken from him. He described how the lives of the Magini family were changed forever, as they were left with the pain of knowing that Eytam would never return. Despite this, Eyal finds some comfort on this day, when he says: “One day a year, the bereaved families let their fellow citizens share in their pain and feel that they too are the bereaved. On Memorial Day, everyone wants to try to offer the bereaved families some relief by carrying some of their pain, even throughout the rest of the year. “
Miri Kadmiel
“Each of us have the privilege to do what we can for a better future for Israel and our future generations, for a good, decent, and solidary society.” – Miri Kadmiel
Also speaking at the event was Miri Kadmiel, Chairwoman of the Tel Aviv branch of Yad Lebanim, the organization delegated by Israel to commemorate the memory of fallen Israeli soldiers and to support bereaved families. As a bereaved mother herself, she emphasized the important task of Tel Aviv University’s “talented and highly capable young people to continue to shape the future State of Israel,” saying that “we find ourselves in a very complex and challenging period, with many concerns and apprehensions. Each of us has the privilege to do what we can for a better future for Israel and our future generations, to work towards a society based on mutual respect and solidarity.”
Also speaking at the event were Daniel Zilber, Chairwoman of TAU’s Student Union and event moderator Itzik Ziat. Music by Tel Aviv University’s The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music and sign language translation by Iris Ben Moshe were also featured.
