Day 4 Erev Yom Ha-zikaron

What better way to prepare for this memorial day than a visit to the Rabin Center. Having been there before, I really wanted my mom to see this extraordinary museum.

Below is the description from the website - http://www.rabincenter.org.il/

"The Israeli Museum at the Yitzhak Rabin Center is the first and only museum in Israel to explore the development of the State of Israel as a young democracy.

Built in a downward spiral, the Museum presents two parallel stories: the history of the State and Israeli society, and the biography of Yitzhak Rabin. The Museum exhibits focus on historical turning points in the country’s development, presenting the conflicts, social challenges and dilemmas the country faced at that time. Along the inner corridor and interwoven with the exhibits’ narratives is the story of the life of Yitzhak Rabin, the connecting thread in the country’s history."

I love this museum. It tells the story of a man, husband, father, grandfather, soldier, prime minister, leader. It is inspirational, emotional and educational. And my mother loved it too!

In the evening we attend a very moving Yom Ha zikaron ceremony at the Magen School as part of the Pressman twinning program. The ceremony was led almost entirely by the children. Seeing 6th graders sing and read thoughtful messages in remembrance of those who have died while serving in the army is emotional. I should add that the entire event was in Hebrew and I am grateful to my friends for translating some key moments for me. Frankly, it was still moving even though I don't speak the language.

Following the ceremony, we are taken to a large intersection where we watch as drivers get out of their cars at 8:00pm when we hear the siren that memorialize the fallen soldiers. It is daunting to imagine this moment all across the country. As witnesses to this moment at this intersection, we are immediately engaged in conversations about how we commemorate Memorial Day in Los Angeles. It made us all think about how different we are in that respect.

We end the evening with a beautiful and warm discussion with some Israeli friends led by Rabbi Kligfeld. As parents, we have so many of the same fears about our kids. Though our lives are different, we worry, we nurture and we try to teach them to make good choices. It was interesting to share these fears and hopes with Israeli parents.

And in the "It's a Small World" section of this blog, this afternoon, we rode in a taxi with a driver who had lived in Los Angeles for a brief time. And where did he live? You guessed it...about 1 mile from where I live now.

Good night and sweet dreams...