Ben Porat Yosef junior high students and faculty led a deeply moving community-wide Yom Hazikaron Commemoration Ceremony on Tuesday night, May 10, which was attended by almost 400 people from Bergen county and was co-sponsored by One Family Fund, Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, Yashar LaChayal and Ben Porat Yosef. The program comprised a performance by the students that focused on the experiences of four individual Israeli soldiers and their families, and a talk by featured speaker, Cheryl Mandel, whose son, Lt. Daniel Mandel, z”l, was killed in action during a mission in Nablus.

The students presented the story of each soldier, and the character trait for which each soldier was known. The students conveyed the level of sacrifice endured by the country that is a home not only for Israeli citizens, but for all Jews worldwide.

Mrs. Mandel told her son’s story, expounding on the theme that while the emotional burden of her loss was at times almost unbearable, she has learned that it is always important to continue to carry on in life and find reasons for joy and gratitude. The evening was a fitting tribute to the memories of Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror, and enabled the attendees to acknowledge and express support for those who protect and defend Israel.