(JNS.org) Ahead of Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron), a new campaign seeks to honor fallen soldiers who may not have any living relatives or friends to do so.
Project GalEd, an initiative started by Michal Serfaty to map out the graves of deceased relatives, has launched a campaign to ensure “a flower for every fallen soldier” by enabling purchases of flower arrangements to be placed on the soldiers’ graves. Israeli soldiers without living family members or friends are known as the “last descendants.”
“Every year, during the Memorial Day ceremonies, I join my family and thousands of other families in Mount Herzl Cemetery in Jerusalem,” Serfaty said. “Thinking about those who have no family to pay them a visit made me realize that Project GalEd has to do something to help them get the respect they deserve.”
Project GalEd focuses on honoring Holocaust survivors, soldiers killed fighting for Israel in the 1948 War of Independence, unidentified fallen soldiers and soldiers with no relatives living in Israel.
According to Project GalEd, “Every person who wants to honor these soldiers can order a flower or a flower arrangement to be placed during Israel’s Memorial Day on one of these graves, with his personal message written on a black ribbon. Those who will join the initiative will get a picture of their flower on the grave via email.”
