Dateline Jerusalem — On Monday evening and Tuesday day, Israel celebrated its 66th birthday, the joyous occasion coming immediately after Israel observed 24 hours of mourning its victims of war and terror on Israel's Remembrance Day Sunday night and Monday day. Israelis pulled together as a nation in sorrow and in joy. Remembrance Day was particularly sad for me, however. It coincided with the birthday of my deceased father, may he rest in peace.
A one-minute siren went off at 8 o’clock Sunday night, and a two-minute siren at 11 Monday morning, bringing the country to a standstill in silent remembrance of the 23,169 casualties of war and terror. This was exactly one week after the country came to a standstill for Holocaust Memorial Day. Like last week, passengers of vehicles, trains, buses, and pedestrians on the streets stopped what they were doing to give respect to those victims of Israel's struggle to exist.
Every city has memorial services, at cemeteries and in parks. The army puts little Israeli flags on the graves at military cemeteries. At Mt. Herzl National Military Cemetery, 12 women lit 12 beacons, each torch representing one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Regular television programming was cancelled, replaced by documentaries and tributes honoring the fallen.
Living in Israel means being surrounded by enemies who will do anything in their power to annihilate this tiny nation. It is said that just about every Israeli personally knows someone who has died, been disabled or injured fighting for Israel's existence, or knows someone who has been a civilian victim of terrorism.
Israel's population is now almost 8.2 million, 75 percent Jewish, and 70 percent native born Israelis or sabras, a name that aptly describes them. A sabra is a thorny desert cactus, also known as a prickly pear. Thick skinned, a sabra is soft and sweet inside. Israeli Jews are considered tenacious, tough on the outside but mild and sweet on the inside. Therefore, the comparison to the sabra plant. Perhaps Israel's population sounds like a lot of people. Putting it in perspective, it is less than the population of Chicago. The entire country of Israel could fit into California 19 times.
Their Attitude Is Infectious
I love Israel's Independence Day. Israelis are very Zionistic and nationalistic people. They are proud of their heritage and the accomplishments Israel has made in its 66 short years as a nation state. Even non-religious Israelis marvel in the miracles bestowed upon Israel by G-d. Perhaps these are reasons why 90 percent of Israelis are proud to be Israeli, preferring to live here more than anywhere else in the world. I am proud of my Israeli citizenship, as I am with my American citizenship. I have been blessed to have been born and to live in the two greatest democracies in the world.
The entire country celebrates Israeli Independence Day. Streamers of blue and white triangle shaped flags are spread across every intersection. Humongous Israeli flags, with their blue Star of David positioned between two horizontal blue stripes on a white background, hang the length of the sides of high-rise apartments and office buildings. The picture window in my apartment has a giant flag draped across it. I love to sit in my living room and look at the flag and across at the neighboring apartment buildings with flags flying from their balconies and windows. Automobiles have form-fitting side-view mirror covers with Israel's flag imprinted on them. Attached to automobile windows are flags flying in the wind, a festive sight. The blue and white reminds me of Israel's perfect blue skies and its pristine white sand beaches.
Independence Day means fireworks and barbecues, top name Israeli entertainment performing in the parks, and traffic congestion. Israelis love to celebrate. This was the perfect opportunity for families to get together. I went to a friend's home for a fabulous bbq. I must have gained 10 pounds! I even dressed for the occasion in a blue outfit with white pearls. I had several toothpick Israeli flags sticking out from my blue scarfed white hat. My jewelry included blue and white earrings, and a snap-on thick white bracelet with the word “I-s-r-a-e-l” in blue letters positioned between two blue Stars of David. I had a wonderful time enjoying the State of Israel's 66th birthday.
L'hitraot. Shachar
