ISRAEL LOSES 73 SONS
THE JEWISH WORLD MOURNS
THE JEWISH WORLD MOURNS
FEB. 5 1997
28 SHVAT 5757
As the bodies are now being flown out of the crash site, some as torsos, some as legs and arms, some without faces, the rabbanut, chevra kadisha, and the IDF division of recognition experts for identification whom we had seen so often last year at bus explosions are working around the clock at Ohel Yakov morgue in Tel Aviv.
The rain has stopped, the snow has ceased to fall, and the winds have died down throughout Israel. The streets of Jerusalem and downtown Tel Aviv look like the hours before Yom Kippur. The feeling is that of despair and why for Am Yisroel.
Today, 73 families throughout this land have to prepare for kriya, kaddish, and avelut. The dead soldiers represented a cross section of the population from kibbutznik to hesdernik.
Although only several names are being released on the radio each hour, the Knesset members have been instructed to spread their 120 membership to 73 funerals throughout the land.
The country is once again unified, there is no talk about 'peace,' Hebron, Jerusalem, or the Golan. The only questions as candles are being lit in all schools from Meah Shearim to Hashomer Hatzair kibbutz schools, is which funeral you are going to attend and did you know Yossi, Shlomo, or David?
Yes, my friends, once again the Almighty has said something to all of us. We ask, we question, we share our disbeliefs, and beliefs with our children in this land now soaked with more blood and the tears of rainfall from shamayim, must look and search for answers.
It is cold outside, bitter cold in Jerusalem as the frost of death cannot warm us the yidden.
The Kotel was its usual photo oportunity this morning. At the wall were paratroopers crying, chassidim and yeshivash bachurim crying and swaying in tehillim, and the Kotel was unusually full for a Wednesday.
The bus driver from the number 1 bus from the Kotel, the cab driver form Tel Aviv with tourists, the policewoman, the secular Israeli clutching onto his contemporary kippa in the blowing wind were all attatched and clinging to the Wall. There was no left, right, secular, religious, chassidic, or other schism this morning. The Western Wall began to wai, even at 7AM.
The government has ordered all cinemas, clubs, and restaurants closed tonight for a day evilsic? The people are wandering and wondering around and aloud everywhere I go. There is no honking, no screaming at each other, no cutting through lines or pushing in public places.
Unity over death... A time for tikkun nefesh again as is required on all the passports of we, the olim, we the tourists, and the vatikim.
Hashem yinachem et kulanu...
Is it really Adar on Friday?
Harvey in Jerusalem
