With song, prayer, memorial candles and moving remembrances, the large crowd at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan paid tribute to the fallen heroes of Israel. About 1,000 people filled its sanctuary on the evening of May 3 for Yom Hazikaron, remembering the 24,068 fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks.
“On Yom Hazikaron, the people of Israel and Jewish people everywhere stand together in solidarity with those for whom remembrance does not begin with the sounding of a siren and does not end with the raising of a flag,” said Israeli Consul General in New York Asaf Zamir.
In his first year in the position, Zamir said it was hard for him to imagine being away from his homeland on such a day. However, he told the crowd he was “humbled” and “inspired” by the night’s turnout.
“Here in the audience sit family members of IDF soldiers who fell in the line of duty, sit families who lost loved ones to terror, sit true friends of Israel who mourn the loss of all of the people who we remember today,” said Zamir. “Here, with these families who I thank for joining us tonight, with all of you, I realize that today is not just about Israelis, and I feel more united as the Jewish people than ever before.”
He said every year during the moment of silence he thinks of his childhood friend Niv Yacobi, whom he described as “a good and loyal friend, exemplary soldier and beloved family member” with “incredible character, personality and sense of humor.” Yacobi was killed Aug. 26, 2000, posthumously promoted to staff sergeant and buried in Kiryat Shaul military cemetery.
Zamir said when he was born 42 years ago his parents assured him that he would not have to serve in the Israeli Defense Force because they believed when it was time for him to enlist at 18, Israel would live peacefully with its neighbors.
“Four decades later, when my daughter Asia was born, I made her no such promise,” he noted, although the recent Abrahamic accords with Morocco, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Kosovo provide hope for the future.
Zamir cited the rise in antisemitic incidents even in a “melting pot” like New York, adding, “Alongside that hope is the understanding that Israel, and the Jewish people, will always need to be ready to defend ourselves.”
The moving ceremony featured both celebrities and those who have lost loved ones in battle. Actor Lior Raz, known to American audiences for his role as Doron Kabilio in the Netflix political thriller “Fauda,” read the memorial prayer. Other highlights included the lighting of the torch of remembrance by Elad Mukadi, whose father, Uzi, was killed in action in the First Lebanon War, and Eli Weiss, whose brother, Ari, was killed by Hamas snipers in Shechem. Mukadi also led the recitation of “Kaddish.”
Perry Hiiman provided a moving account of a lifelong search to find out bits of information about the father he never knew, killed when he was just 9 months old. Hillel Hiiman lost his life to an explosive device from Syrian forces in the Golan Heights during the War of Attrition in 1970.
“Bereavement has accompanied me from the dawn of my childhood, and with it, the memory of my father that I did not have the privilege of knowing,” he said in Hebrew as an English translation appeared on a video screen. It was a followed by a haunting rendition in English by Israeli actress and singer-songwriter Ninet Tayeb, accompanied by her husband, music producer and guitarist Yossi Mizrachi, of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” She later closed out the program by joining the Tzofim Israeli Scouts in singing “Hatikvah.”
Sarri Singer, the founder of the nonprofit Strength to Strength, said she established the organization, which focuses on bringing together terror victims from around the world and assisting them with long-term psychological care, after living through two terror attacks.
Singer, who grew up in Lakewood and is the daughter of former longtime New Jersey state Sen. Robert Singer, was living in Manhattan during 9/11, an experience that encouraged her to reevaluate what was important in her life and make aliyah. In Israel she volunteered to work with terror victims and their families and later she herself was injured in a 2003 terrorist bus bombing in Jerusalem that killed 17 and injured more than 100.
“Everything in my life changed on that day,” said Singer, but she made the decision to “fight hate with love by helping others.” She told the audience that although the attack happened 19 years ago the memories never go away.
“I remember the sounds of crushing metal and the shock waves as the explosion tore through the bus,” said Singer. “I remember closing my eyes, an instinct that saved my sight. And I remember a moment of eerie silence that followed the blast.” Singer recalled seeing the dead and injured in seats around her and screamed so loud that a stranger came running from three blocks away to pull her out.
Other performers included singer-songwriter David Broza, Israeli-American folk and jazz singer Hadar Orshalimy and violinist Asi Matathias playing with pianist Matthew Graybil.
Rabbi Joshua Davidson from Temple Emanu-El spoke and Cantor Netanel Hershtik from the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, New York, recited the Yizkor and El Malei Rachamim prayers.
