Over the years, when I've gone, I've gone to the Mount Herzl military cemetery in the afternoon to visit a fallen comrade while avoiding the crowds and traffic.
Today was the first time I went in the morning for the ceremony.
It was overwhelming. There must have been hundreds of thousands of people there. It felt that way.
Yet when the siren rang out there was utter silence. When Hatikva was sung, everyone sung it quietly together. When Kaddish was said, everyone said Amen.
In all my years here, I've never seen anything like it.
I saw old friends who also came to pay their respects. Friends I haven't seen in a long time.
To paraphrase what the Prime Minister said in his speech, those who have fallen live on in our hearts.
-JoeSettler
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Thanks for writing this, Joe. My son went to Har Herzl and told me it was very special. I can't get myself to go. I've been there for funerals, been there on other days...but I think it would be too overwhelming to go on Yom HaZikaron...I'm probably wrong. Maybe I can get up the courage to go next year. For me, the local ceremony is about what I can handle...thanks for your post and, if you don't mind, maybe you could consider yourself a bit of our messenger as well!
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