Not Your Average Jewess

Done. Could you change comments to a popup rather than a seperate page?

B"H
Maria, best wishes in your beautiful new cyber home. Most symbolically, our usual blue summer skies of Ashdod are covered with dark gray clouds today. Your post hit the nail on the head. May Hashem bless you always. Warmest regards, LB

Before the so-called second intifada, the proximity of Memorial Day and Independence Day didn't feel natural at all, at least for me. It seemed like a very strange, even cruel idea. Every now and then you would hear people saying that it should be changed.

Since the second intifada you don't hear such voices anymore, because the switches from sorrow to joy became very regular, and actually during the piguim, the switches are much faster than a whole day. Moreover, the connection between bereavement and independence became very clear. Everyone understands that those who commit the terrorist attacks are attacking our existence as a country, and everyone feels that the answer must be LIFE, refusing to surrender and defending our country, in this way or another. So I think that the value of our independence is much more understood now that it has been in danger.

Of course I am speaking as a relatively young person. I guess that for those who have founded Israel the appreciation of the value of independence and the price that is paid for it was much stronger. For me personally, the only time I felt something close to true fear for the future of Israel was during the frequent piguim, esp at the time when Israel seemed helpless and unable to respond. I didn't think that Israel would be destroyed physically, but I feared that that was the end of Israel as we knew it.

Despite all what I said about understanding the price of independence, paying that ultimate price does not become any less painful. The pain is immense, and though we can't let the pain beat us, we must find time to mourn and to honor those who have made it possible for us to live our life here normally, most of the time.

Expat: I would, but I don't know how. Sorry.

Reb Lazer: Thank you so much, and likewise :)

Orly: Very true words, written in a very articulate way.

"A popup versus a seperate page"? I haven't figured out the meaning of the question, whats more began to contemplate an answer.

Anywho, Memorial Day and Independence Day should come back-to-back! MD first, then ID. I've been thinking about the War of 1812 today for some reason. The defense of Fort McHenry and the battle of New Orleans were such pivitol events and have such inspiring outcomes.