Jewish History Archives

Apr 13

Yom Hazikaron, Remembering Israels Fallen

Posted by CamelYoni_123 | current events, Holidays, Jewish History, Memorials, Uncategorized | One Comment

We are about to start Yom Hazikaron – Remembrance Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers. It’s difficult to convey how solemn this day is as opposed to Memorial Day and Remembrance Day in other countries. I grew up in Canada. Both of my grandfathers served in the Canadian Military as did other members of my family. Canadian Remembrance Day was important to me and had its place, with a minute of silence being observed and a couple of national ceremonies taking place, but it wasn’t vastly different from most other days.

Yom Hazikaron in Israel is different. It is all-encompassing. The entire country stops and mourns. The feeling of melancholy starts to set in a day or two before. All of the programming on the news, radio, and the national TV is about fallen soldiers. Yom Hazikaron is so central and focused due to the fact that everyone is connected to the fallen.

In Israel, there is a mandatory draft at the age of 18, right after high school, and the military selection process begins a couple of years earlier. Although there are a number of people who get exemptions to the draft, almost everyone’s social circle includes many draftees.

Israel is a very small country so everyone knows everyone- in one way or another everyone has a personal connection to the army and to combat units.

I moved to Israel in 2003 and joined the army. These are some of my experiences and memories that have impacted how I feel on Yom Hazikaron:

I served in the Nahal infantry unit. During my training as an infantry soldier I began to feel a connection with every infantry soldier; a kinship with any soldier with the same beret colour; a familial connection to everyone in my brigade; and like a brother to everyone in my company.

Army training isn’t the safest thing in the world. Many mishaps occur.

As the months of training progressed by we were told of a few cases in which soldiers killed each other in training accidents. One evening my squad and I were talking about how we would feel if we killed one of our group by mistake. The overall conclusion was that we would feel a tremendous amount of guilt and grief that would be too strong to bear.

The Friday after the conversation, we got the newspapers and read of an accident that had occurred in a unit that was doing training in the north. A jeep had gotten stuck in mud and had then been driven over by an APC [armored personnel carrier], killing the two people in the jeep. Reading about this tragedy so soon after having that conversation my squad, I understood the tremendous loss that the members of the unit training in the North must have been feeling, and I felt a loss too. The feeling spread through the platoon and I realized that the whole army was mourning for those two soldiers. A few days later I visited some family in Rehovot and was told that my friend was at the funeral because he had done the Commanders’ Course with one of the soldiers in the jeep. I felt the loss from a different angle.

We finished training, started active duty and were placed in Hevron, A few months later we moved to Gush Etzion/Bethlehem.

One day were sitting in our rec. room watching ‘Friends’ when our company commander ran into the room and yelled ‘everyone go pack your combat gear and your sleeping bags, there’s an order that we may be taken by helicopter into Gaza in the next few hours!’.

In the chaos that ensued word spread that a mine had blown up an APC of the Givati Unit, killing a number of soldiers. Rescue attempts had been launched resulting in a loss of close to 13 soldiers. Terrorists had then stolen body parts from the wreckage. We were all shocked and outraged by this.
During the time I spent packing my gear my anger changed into sorrow, fear and then terror! I realized that my friend was a commander in the unit that had been affected! I was scared for him. Was he ok? was he injured? Had he lost his soldiers? those were the thoughts that started to run through my head.

Some time passed during which we were doing standard operations when I got sick and spent two weeks in the hospital. I was then given sick leave. During that time my brigade moved from Bethlehem to Jenin. Our Unit held three bases surrounding Jenin.

One day I was out at the beach with a friend when I got a call from my friend Ron. He said ‘Yoni, someone at one of the bases has been hit. but we don’t know what’s going on- try to find out!’

I called as many people as I could. No one knew anything. I called the officer who was in charge of all the wounded soldiers. She told me that she couldn’t tell me anything. I realised that it meant that she couldn’t tell me as his parents hadn’t been notified.

I was sick with worry!

Was it Hayim who had shared a tent with me during field week?

Was it Ido who sat beside me for hours while I was in the hospital?

Was it Ilan who had always managed to keep my spirits high?

I called the person who would know, and would tell me, my company commander. He told me that “It is Yair Tourjeman”

“WHAT?! Tourjeman’s been hit?!” To us he had been a legend. He had done basic training with my commander, who had ‘brought us up’ on stories about him.

With a sinking feeling in my stomach I called up my previous commander who had finished the army a few weeks earlier. He started to cry but at the same time he thanked me for telling him.

30 days after the funeral I was standing by Tourjeman’s grave on Har Hertzel listening to his parents talk about how happy they were to have had such a good son who had helped so many people. Through misty eyes I looked around and saw the religious standing with the non religious, new immigrants standing with old Israelis, Sephardim standing with Ashkenazim, all standing together untied around Tourjeman. I realized that it was due to thousands like Tourjeman that we have Israel today.

Even though I only knew of him and never actually met him, till today I feel like I lost a brother.

Two years later, while in university a friend called me out of a class and introduced me to a friend of hers – Mikey. I met a nice guy with a great sense of humour who was in the paratrooper unit, we hit it off.

A little while later the second Lebanese War started. My friend told me that Mikey was in Lebanon and she was sure that something bad was going to happen to him. Every day I saw that she got more and more anxious, so we went out for a day in Jaffa to relax. As we were walking through the shuk (market) in Jaffa she got a phone call, I saw all the colour drain out of her face, and knew right away what had happened.

The store owners brought a chair and water and inquired what had happened, I explained that her friend had been killed in Lebanon.

The people told me that nothing could have happened because it wasn’t reported on the news.

I had the gut wrenching realisation that his parents hadn’t been notified yet.

The funeral wasn’t going to be for a few days because Mikey was American and the army had to bring them in from America.

All of Mikey’s friends spent the days leading up to the funeral together, comforting and supporting each other.

The funeral took place on Tisha Be’av. The Jewish day of mourning of the destruction of the Temples and every other tragedy that befell the Jewish people.

Once again I was standing on Mt. Hertzel for a funeral.

Up until then I had been strong and not cried. But as I heard Mikey’s father saying Kaddish (a prayer that one says over a family member who dies), I imagined how it must feel to say Kaddish for the first time and the emotions just swept me away.

In the years that pass, while guiding tours I go up to Mt. Hertzel (the main military cemetery) . I tell the stories of Mikey and Tourjeman and I hear stories of loss from other people.

Each year the number of people and stories grows.

My sister inlaws best friend who was killed in a terrorist attack, my friends student who was killed during a military operation, and many other.

unfortunately the pain never ends.

On Yom Hazikaron we aren’tidolizing an idea rather honouring the memory thousands of brothers, sisters and friends who gave everything so that we can be here today.

Jul 26

Beitar- a Trip through Time and Space

Posted by CamelYoni_123 | Archaeology, History, Jewish History | 2 Comments

‘I want to hike to the ruins of Beitar. Who wants to join?’

I looked at the message on my phone and my mind started racing!

We had all learned about Beitar. It had been the last and strongest fortress from which Shimon bar Kochva rebelled against the Roman Empire.

For some reason during the Tour-Guide course we didn’t visit the ruins, in fact I had never heard of anyone visiting the ruins and it had always troubled me.

Ever year on the fast day of Tisha B’Av (the ninth day of the jewish month of Av) Jews around the world mourn the destruction of the first and second Jewish Temples that stood in Jerusalem. This day on which both of the temples were destroyed has become the day on which all tragedies that befell the jewish people are remembered.

In Synagogues around the world congregations will read a scroll telling the story of the destruction of the first temple and then will read ‘kinot’ which are poems that were written to mourn tragedies. Many of these Kinot mention the fall of Beitar.

The second Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70. Sixty two years later in the year 132 Shimon Bar Kochva led a widespread revolt against the Romans. Using Guerilla tactics and hiding in underground tunnels and caves the revolt was a surprising success at the beginning.

Over time the Roman army developed new tactics and was able to start getting the upper hand in the war.

In the year 135 after a number of losses, the forces retreated to the city of Beitar in the mountains not far from Jerusalem. They built heavy fortifications in order to hold out against the Romans.

The Romans in turn set siege to the fortress building a wall around it even longer than the wall that they built around Masada!

According to the Jerusalem Talmud the fortress fell on the ninth of Av (the fast day) and all of the defenders were slain.

The date that was chosen for the hike to the ruins of Beitar was the 1st of the month of Av- the beginning of nine days of mourning leading up to the fast day on the 9th.

The place identified with Beitar are ruins called ‘hurvat al yahud’ Arabic for ‘Ruins of the Jews’ and is located beside the Palestinian village of Battir.

The route that we chose was long and windy in order to stay as far as possible from the Palestinian cities. After a very long hike and extremely steep climb we found ourselves on the ruins of Beitar. Most of the ancient city is hidden under terraces of olive trees but here and there the size of the fortifications was unmistakeable.

Standing on top of the fortress surrounded by deep valleys on three sides, I understood why Shimon Bar Kochva had chosen that location.

Reading the kinot will be much more meaningful this year.

Aug 01

Tisha B’Av and being a proud Jew

Posted by CamelYoni_123 | current events, History, Holidays, Jewish History | No Comments

On the Ninth day of the month of Av we have a day of mourning. On this day we fast, read the Megila of Eicha, and lamentations of different disasters that befell the Jewish people.

This day been observed for thousands of years. The date was picked due to the fact that both of the Jewish temples in Jerusalem were destroyed on this date.

The first Temple was destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonian Empire, and the first Diaspora started. After 70 years, Jews were able to return to the land of Israel where they rebuilt the Temple and reinstated the Jewish Kingdom.

The second temple was Destroyed by the Roman Empire in the year 70 AD after 4 years of revolt by Jews against the Romans. This marked the beginning of the second Diaspora which we are still in today.

For thousands of years we have mourned the destruction of the Temple, and the dispersion of Jews from Israel.

Some people say that the Diaspora is over as most of the world’s Jews have returned to Israel and are in control of the land.

I believe that the Diaspora is a mindset that we are still stuck in.

This can be seen, for example, in many different policies that Israel adopts in regard to the Temple Mount.

Arabs can come and go as they please with no security checks. However, if someone Jewish wants to go up to the Temple Mount they can only at certain hours and only after a very thorough security check. Jews aren’t allowed to have anything or wear anything that ‘looks Jewish’ otherwise it will offend the Arabs. Israel doesn’t allow Jews to whisper prayers on the Temple Mount out of fear of how the Muslims would react.

After the terrorist attack on the Temple Mount last week in which Israeli Muslims smuggled guns onto the Temple Mount and killed two police officers, Israel placed metal detectors at the entrance and Muslims started to riot.

After a short period of time Israel gave in and removed the metal detectors, removing every form of Israeli control over what happens on the Temple Mount.

At the same time everyone has to go through metal detectors to get to the Kotel. The Kotel is not the holiest place for Jews, it just happens to be the closest that Jews can get to pray to the holiest place in Judaism which is the Temple mount.

I feel like all of this is result of the Diaspora mindset.

Every year I meet hundreds of young Jews from North America while guiding Birthright trips. Generally they come knowing that they are Jewish but little more than that.

After a week of learning about Judaism, Israel and Zionism they tell me that for the first time ever they are proud of being Jewish. From many Israelis who join the trips I hear that they are proud of being Israeli but not very connected to the Jewish side.

Just like our ancestors had to spend 40 years in the desert to learn how to be a free people, I feel like we need to put work into being a people.

We need to build up on our Jewish pride and look for ways to bring all Jews together as opposed to separating into different sects.

When we can all exude pride in our heritage and religion and feel that we are unified, that will be a sign that the Diaspora is ending.

Jun 05

Yom Yerushalayim- Jerusalem Day

Posted by CamelYoni_123 | current events, History, Jewish History, Uncategorized | No Comments

It is Jerusalem day!

One of the more interesting holidays of the Israeli calendar. You are probably asking yourself- Why does Jerusalem get a day which receives nationwide recognition? And what exactly is Jerusalem day commemorating?

It is a day which is the result of thousands of years Jewish yearning, along with a sprinkling of relatively recent trauma from the War of Independence.

For thousands of years Jews worldwide have always prayed towards Jerusalem. During the times of the Diasporas Jews have always yearned to return to the city of Jerusalem and more specifically to Mt. Moria, the location of the destroyed Jewish temples. It was only natural that when the Jewish State of Israel would be declared that Jerusalem would be its center and capital.

During the War of Independence the Jerusalem area saw some of the most fierce fighting. The old city of Jerusalem with all of its holy sites was held under siege for over six months!!

On may 28th 1948 the Jewish forces in the Jewish quarter of the old city were taken captive by the Jordanian Legion.

At the end of the war the new city of Jerusalem was in Israeli hands and the old city of Jerusalem was part of Jordan. The Jordanians destroyed all of the abandoned Synagogues in the old city and once again the Jewish holy sites were unreachable.

This remained the state of affairs until the six day war.

On the first morning of the war, June 5th 1967, Jordanian forces moved into the Israeli parts of Jerusalem. Israel retaliated with a massive counterattack and within three days the old city and eastern Jerusalem was in Israel’s hands.

These battles over a relatively small area cost Israel a quarter of all the casualties in the war.
The reunification of Jerusalem was on the Jewish date 28th of Iyar which is when Jerusalem day is celebrated.

The reunification of Jerusalem and freedom of movement to the holy places was, to many, the recognition of ancient prophecies promising a return to Jerusalem!

On this day there are a large number of festivals and ceremonies which include: a large parade, a dance with flags throughout the old city, concerts and much more!

May 01

Of Harvesting Barley, Counting, and a Bloody Revolt against the Romans

Posted by CamelYoni_123 | Archaeology, History, Holidays, Jewish History | No Comments

The period of time between the holiday of Passover and Shavuot is known as ‘Sefirat haOmer’.
The Torah orders us to count the 49 days separating the two holidays, Passover, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, and Shavuot, commemorating receiving the An offering of barley was given in the Temple on each of the 49 days as this period coincides with the harvest of grains.

During the time of the Temple, the period of time between the holidays was an elongated celebration. This is very different from what happens now. Currently many traditions of mourning are kept for part of this period (from the first day until the 33rd of the 49 days).

Traditionally we learn that thousands of the students of Rabbi Akiva (circa 130 C.E.) perished from a divine plague during these 4 weeks as a punishment for acting disrespectfully towards each other.
How does this make sense? Rabbi Akiva is widely acclaimed for the statement, “ve’ahavta l’reacha kamocha” – love your neighbor as you would yourself. It doesn’t quite fit that specifically his students would disrespect each other to a point of receiving such a divine punishment.

Let’s take another look of what was going on at the time in the land of Israel and who the main players were.

60 years had passed since the great revolt against the Romans which had resulted in the destruction of the Temple and expulsion of Jews from Jerusalem. A widespread revolt had started. Lead by Shimon Bar Kochva, this revolt became known as the Bar Kochva revolt (132-136 C.E.). Rabbi Akiva was the main spiritual leader in Israel and supported the revolt.

A number of early successes against the Roman Empire lead to an independent Jewish territory in Judea for two years. This independence was eventually crushed by a force of more than six legions. The Roman Empire executed a swift and strong revenge against the Jews.

According to Cassius Dio (a Roman consul and historian), over 580,000 Jews were killed in the war. Those who survived were sold into slavery.

In addition to this widespread destruction, Hadrian took many steps to erase any chance of the Jews rising again. He executed many Jewish scholars, forbid the teaching and learning of Torah, and changed the name of the area of Judea and Samaria to Syria Palestina in an attempt to erase any memory of a Jewish homeland.

I suspect that the thousands of students who perished in such a short period of time where most likely fighting against the Roman legions.

Today we are still discovering secret hideouts that were used by Jewish fighters during the revolt! I recommend getting dirty and crawling/ climbing through the tunnels of the hideout in Hurvat Midras. This tunnel system in the area of Beit Guvrin shows one of the main Jewish tactics. Bar Kochva didn’t have the man-power or the weapons to take on a legion in a strait out battle. Instead, he used guerrilla tactics. After attacking Roman soldiers, the Jewish forces would escape into tunnel systems which were well hidden from sight. In the event that a Roman soldier did find the tunnel he would have to shed all of his weapons and armor to crawl in, rendering him defenseless.

As you travel to the ancient Jewish town, you can see the grains growing in the area and remember how those same grains were offered at the Temple during this period some two thousand years ago!

Apr 16

Reflections on Holocaust Memorial Day

Posted by CamelYoni_123 | History, Jewish History | No Comments

The Siren has sounded.

It is Yom Hashoah. The day that we remember our six million brothers and sisters who were murdered for being Jewish. Across the country thousands of ceremonies are being held. most of them start with the siren that sounds across the country.

I’ve always found the sounding siren to be a strange dichotomy between a screaming loud sound that is inescapable and a complete and utter inner silence.

When the siren sounds everything comes to a stop. conversations, calls, work, traffic- everything. Time comes to a stop as we stand and remember.

As I stand in the loud silence and think of the huge dark inescapable hole left in our people as a result of the holocaust, a myriad of thoughts run through my mind.

• The stones at stones at the death camp of Treblinka. specifically the stone which is a memorial for the city of Bialystok in Poland. My great grandparents left the city before the Holocaust but almost all of their families where murdered.

• The concentration camps, extermination camps and killing sites that I saw on my trip to Poland in 2009

• The stories that I’ve read and heard

• The survivors that I knew who are no longer with us and those that I didn’t know.

• The same siren that a year ago sent me running for cover, is now telling me to stand still and remember

• The lessons that the world was supposed to learn and didn’t. Never again should apply to all nations and people. Why isn’t the world stopping the slaughters going on in Syria, Iraq, Rwanda and all of the other places where it is happening today.

• what does it mean for us. Does the fact that we are still here give us an additional task in life?

The siren stops.

Do I go back to reading the paper?

We remember. But what does that mean? Is it knowledge or a lesson?

Holocaust memorial day Israel 2015

Yoni Lightstone

Dec 23

Maccabees- Miracle or Strategic Brilliance

Posted by CamelYoni_123 | History, Holidays, Jewish History, Uncategorized | One Comment

It’s Hannuka! As we sit spinning our driedels and eating latkes, let’s think about the miracle of this holiday, one of the two which were instituted by the Rabbis. In school, you probably learned that the Hannukah miracle was the oil lasting for eight days rather than one. But oddly enough, there is no mention of that miracle in the special prayers for the holiday.

In the prayers we say: ‘Thank you for delivering many into the hands of few’, which refers to God delivering the large Greek army into the hands of the Maccabees. But were the Hasmonian successes in battle a miracle, or the result of strategic brilliance?

The Seleucid Greek army of Antiochus IV was the largest, strongest and best trained military in the world. It isn’t possible that a couple hundred rag-tag farmers and priests managed to bring the largest force in the known world to its knees, or is it?

The power of the Seleucid army was in the phalanx, a strong formation of soldiers which was virtually unstoppable. Its only drawbacks were that it could only be utilized on level ground and it could only move forward. In that period all battles were fought at predetermined times and predetermined locations.
This was the brilliance of Judah the commander of the Maccabee forces: he was a master of guerilla warfare before it was even invented!

He understood that his forces were no match for the phalanx on an even playing field. Judah used his intimate knowledge of the mountainous land and the agility of light forces. In most of the battles he set up ambushes that caught the traveling Greek military strung out and unprepared.

As the multi-year conflict progressed, the Jewish forces preformed more intricate manoeuvres which succeeded in defeating the Seleucid army, which was already expecting ambushes. Out of the eight large battles between the sides, the Maccabees defeated the Greeks six times and won their religious and political independence, which is what we celebrate today.

Happy Hannuka!

Jewish History Archives - Yoni Tours