Yom HaZikaron

Today is Yom HaZikaron - the Israeli version of Memorial Day, when we remember those who gave their lives conquering and protecting the Eretz Yisrael and its citizens. Following are the number of Jews killed between the War of Independence and throught the current Intifida, according to Arutz 7, Israel Religious Zionist News Service:

The 1948 War of Independence was Israel's costliest war, with more than 6,000 dead, one percent of the Jewish population at the time, and 15,000 wounded.

Then followed seven years of relative quiet - during which there were "1,339 cases of armed clashes with Egyptian armed forces, 435 cases of incursion from Egyptian-controlled territory, and 172 cases of sabotage perpetrated by Egyptian military units and fedayeen [terrorists] in Israel," in which 101 Israelis were killed, as Israeli Ambassador to the UN Abba Eban explained to the Security Council on October 30, 1956. A total of 231 Israeli soldiers died in Sinai Campaig.
The Six-Day War broke out on June 5, 1967. Along with the stunning victories, over 770 Israelis were killed.

Then began the period of the War of Attrition, which claimed 424 soldiers and more than 100 civilians. A ceasefire was declared on August 8, 1970.

Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on Yom Kippur, 1973. The IDF ultimately emerged victorious, but a total of 2,688 soldiers were killed.

In June 1982, in response to continued terrorist attacks and Katyusha shellings from across the Lebanese border, as well as an assassination attempt upon Israel's late Ambassador to Great Britain Shlomo Argov, Israel attacked the terrorists in Lebanon in what was known as Operation Peace for Galilee. Close to 460 soldiers were killed between June and December 1982, and another 760 in daily ambushes against Israeli forces over the next two and a half years.

Between December 1987, when the first Arab "intifada" broke out, and the signing of the Oslo Accords in late 1993, 90 Israelis were murdered.

Between the Oslo signing and the beginning of what became known as the Oslo War in September, 2000, 251 Israelis were murdered by terrorists.

Another 1,287 have been felled by Palestinian Authority terrorists and gunmen since September 2000.

Keep in mind - the Arab terrorists, who have been merrily murdering Jews in the name of Allah and with the promise that being martyred will bring them seventy virgins Heaven, did not differentiate between Chareidi or Chiloni (secular Israeli) or anything in between. All the saw was a holy mission to kill any Jews they could.

Now, while Yom HaZikaron may not be the "frum" way to remember the lives of those who were murdered and killed in battle, it is a way to remember. And the Chareidi community MUST remember that the soldiers who died, whether secular or Orthodox or anything in between, died defending the rights of ALL JEWS to live in Eretz Yisrael, be they Chareidi, Chiloni, Dati Leumi, or anything else.

So please, instead of decrying Yom HaZikaron as a non-Jewish custom adopted by Jews, use this opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem and remember those who died defending our homeland so everyone there might live free to work, learn, play, and just be alive.