This is a time of reflection, of remembrance, of tears and sadness for our loved ones who fell, and of appreciation of what is truly important here in our Land. This time of the year in our Hebrew calendar we have been in mourning for our collective national historical tragedies - the destruction of our Temples in our eternal capital, Jerusalem.

This time of the year for the past three years we have been mourning for the brutal uprooting of our families.



This time of the year for the past three years we have been mourning for the brutal uprooting of our families in Gush Katif and northern Samaria. We mourn for the wanton destruction of our synagogues, homes, communities and the uprooting of our loved ones from their graves.


This time of the year for the past two years we have been mourning our loved ones who fell in what is called the "Second War in Lebanon."


We literally go from one memorial to the next in a surrealistic nightmare of sorrow and pain.


I, however, do wish to reflect upon those brave warriors who fought for our country and ran forward into fire, with no second thoughts about themselves, in order to save their brothers-in-arms. I do wish to share the wise words of a young officer in the Golani Brigade who spoke to us over the grave of Ohad Klausner, H.y.d. Klausner fell as he continued to run in to try and rescue his brothers in Bint Jbeil, where eight of the unit fell in an heroic battle.


This young hero stood in front of us at Mt. Herzl Military Cemetery, and then again in the memorial ceremony at Beit Horon, Ohad's hometown. He spoke of the meaning of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. He mentioned the successes of our young state in medicine, high-tech and other fields. But then he said:


"The importance of the establishment of the Jewish State cannot be measured in the economic or scientific successes. The success and importance of the State of Israel can be measured in the bravery, humility and self- sacrifice of these soldiers who gave their lives for their country, who did not stop to think of the dangers to themselves - who only thought of their brothers in battle who needed them.


"I was there and was wounded, and saw the care, the love and enormous self- sacrifice of my soldiers, my men

They teach us the ultimate lesson.

who time after time went in to get their friends. This is what it means to be here in our Land. This is the important lesson of the wonderful miracle of our existence here in Israel, and this is the true celebration of our statehood and our nation. Ohad and his friends are the most exceptional gift we have here, our youth who, out of love for their Nation, out of love for their country, and out of responsibility, gave their lives. It is an honor to have young people like these - for these are the best of us."


In these days, when we see the collapse of national responsibility among those who are supposed to ensure it, when we see the capitulation of the government endangering Israeli citizens by allowing murderous terrorists to go free, when our soldiers are endangered by allowing anarchists to freely encourage violence against military and civilians, allowing the anarchists to hand enemies of Israel cameras to document staged situations of persecution, we can also see our sons and daughters who, out of love for their Land and people, give us hope for the future. They teach us the ultimate lesson: to unselfishly, with all our hearts, be willing "to give of oneself."