A Yom HaZikaron commemoration that connected memory, sacrifice, and the present moment
On Tuesday, we gathered as a community to commemorate Yom HaZikaron. While this day is marked across the global Jewish community, it is especially intimate and painful for Israelis, particularly those who have known and loved people who served in the IDF or were victims of terrorism. Over the past two and a half years, Israelis have also lived through the aftermath of the immense loss of life on and since October 7, 2023.
After we stood in silence for the memorial siren, Dr. Yoni Michanie framed the day as a national moment of remembrance for those who fell in service of the homeland or as innocent victims connected to it. Though separated by an ocean and seven time zones, days like Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut serve as a powerful anchor for our community. They offer a time to commemorate the fallen, pray for those currently serving, and recognize the immeasurable sacrifices made to protect the Jewish homeland.
“This year, however,” he reminded us, “we can’t look away from the present.” He called attention to the Israeli men and women currently serving in Lebanon and in the airspace over Tehran, lending added immediacy to the ceremony. As Yoni reflected, “Yom HaZikaron asks us to hold two things at once: grief and gratitude.”
The tekkes (ceremony) continued with personal memorials from within our community, honoring loved ones lost. A special tribute was shared for Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas z”l. A student performance of “Milion Kochavim” (“A Million Stars”) followed, a song written by Amit Farkash in memory of her brother, Captain Tom Farkash, who was killed in a 2006 helicopter crash during the 2006 Lebanon War, a song that became an anthem of collective grief across Israel. The ceremony also included a communal singing of Hatikvah.
We were grateful to welcome Roi Carmel, a former IDF officer and veteran of the Second Lebanon War, who shared his story. Now co-founder and CEO of the tech firm Spotlight.ai, he spoke about his earlier service in the elite Egoz unit, which specializes in guerrilla warfare and continues to operate today. This type of fighting presents a distinct challenge for an IDF built for conventional warfare, with clear targets, defined battlefields, and decisive engagements.
Students and faculty heard a firsthand account of that type of combat, as Mr. Carmel described a mission in which he was shot twice and temporarily paralyzed in his right arm. He spoke about the moment-to-moment strategic judgment required to lead his soldiers toward a successful outcome, and despite multiple serious injuries, every soldier survived the mission. While the scenario could have sounded like something “out of a movie,” Mr. Carmel’s humility and deep sense of responsibility to his fellow soldiers came through with clarity and force.
After memorializing so many lives, both abstract and personal, his account grounded the day in something tangible, a feeling of deep national pride and profound re’ut (camaraderie), reflecting the most selfless and enduring qualities of the Jewish people. At Gann, these days of remembrance honor those no longer with us while clarifying the qualities we strive to embody.