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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>From: saul newman via Avodah <A
href="mailto:avodah@lists.aishdas.org">avodah@lists.aishdas.org</A> in
Avodah Digest, Vol 34, Issue 53<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>>> i wonder if one can consider [for the communities that
do not sanction<BR>these two days] which of Yom Hashoah and Yom
Haatzmaut would be more<BR>objectionable, from both a halachic and
hashkafic perspective. <<<BR></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>>>>></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What is objectionable to me is the slyly provocative tone of this
question. But I will take the occasion to draw your attention to what I
have written in the past about Yom Hashoah. This is from Cross-Currents,
2005. (I don't recommend wading through all the comments there
though.)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2005/05/06/yom-hashoah/">http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2005/05/06/yom-hashoah/</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P>And in 2006, in the comments section to a post by Shira Schmidt
[http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/05/04/the-controversy-over-holocaust-fallen-soldiers-terror-victims-memorials/],
I wrote this about Yom Atzmaut:</P>
<P> </P>
<P>--quoting myself--</P>
<P> </P>
<P><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; COLOR: black'>My
mother has cousins — an elderly couple, not religious — who lost their only son
in the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Every year on Yom Hazikaron they cry anew, but
they find the abrupt transition to Yom Atzmaut too jarring and cannot find it in
themselves to celebrate.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; COLOR: black'>The
Israeli government tried to set up a neat historical lesson that would take a
few weeks each year and go in an orderly progression:<BR>1. Galus Jews go like
sheep to the slaughter — Yom Hashoah<BR>2. In Israel a new Jew is created, the
proud Israeli soldier, who is brave and strong. He doesn’t die a helpless
victim, he dies a hero, defending his homeland — Yom Hazikaron<BR>3. All the
evil and sorrow of our past is now redeemed with the glorious new day, a proud
and strong new young country, the State of Israel — Yom
haAtzmaut.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; COLOR: black'>Of
course this simple story line has become darkened and more complex with the
passage of time. Israel is no longer strong and new and young but weary and
battle-scarred. Nowadays Yom Hashoah is commemorated with far more respect for
the survivors than was the case in the early days, far more sorrow and far less
arrogance and false pride. The Israeli Army is still looked at with pride but
more young Israelis try to get out of serving — a favorite ploy is to feign
mental illness. The brave soldiers so lionized in the past are instead looked at
today simply as sons and brothers. There is less glory and pride and more sorrow
and grief, for all the young lives lost. Nevertheless, of all the institutions
of the modern Israeli state, the army is the one most deserving of our respect
and gratitude — in my opinion.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; COLOR: black'>Finally,
Yom Atzmaut is not looked at, either, the way it was in the past. If you read
Yoram Hazony’s book *The Jewish State* — or look at the soul-searching in the
Mizrachi camp after the Gaza withdrawal — you see that on both ends of the
political spectrum, a weariness and wariness have set in, as the State has not
lived up to expectations. The Left is in a post-Zionist phase where patriotism
and flag-waving are passe and the alleged mistreatment of the Arabs overshadows
all else. The Right has seen its messianic expectations dashed and realizes that
the State is not yet the Redemption.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN
style='FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; COLOR: black'>My
mother’s cousins who can’t find it in their hearts to celebrate Yom Atzmaut are
not the only ones. Israel needs to rewrite its storyline.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P>-- end of quote --</P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><B><BR>--Toby Katz<BR>t613k@aol.com</FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#ffffff
size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><BR>..</FONT><FONT lang=0
color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR>=============</B><BR><BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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