JEC commemorated Yom Hazikaron with multiple special programs connecting students to the pride, dedication and sacrifice of Tzahal. Each group heard from Rabbi Uzi Beer, principal of JEC Lower and Middle Schools, who served as a corporal in Tzahal. The younger children heard Rabbi Beer’s exciting and humorous Israeli army stories. Alongside firefighters and police officers, JEC students know to recognize IDF soldiers as heroes. The older children heard Rabbi Beer’s depiction of Tzahal as a unifying element in Israeli society; he described two soldiers from diverse backgrounds who served together and were ultimately buried together at Mt. Herzl. It was a moving and meaningful day which solidified how every Jew’s identity is intertwined with Israel, and set the stage for the students to better appreciate Yom Ha’atzmaut.