Invitation for the bereaved
On Yom Hazikaron, we honour the memory of the men and women who have given their lives for the creation and continued security of the State of Israel.
Efrat Metzler lights a candle -Yom Hazikaron 2012
Melbourne’s annual Yom Hazikaron Communal Commemoration is the time our community collectively grieves and pays tribute to Israel’s Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror and can offer some solace to bereaved families and friends of the fallen. The 2013 Yom Hazikaron Communal Commemoration will take place on Sunday 14 April at Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University Clayton Campus.
At this year’s Yom Hazikaron Commemoration Efrat Metzler lit a candle for her late, beloved uncle Shalom “Charlie” Shlush and in honor of all the Israeli victims of terror whose lives have been cut short by terror attacks.
Charlie Shlush was part of the “Yamam”, Israel’s counter – terrorism unit. However on the morning of October 20, 1990, it was on the streets of Baka in Jerusalem that he encountered a terrorist on a rampage wielding a 15 inch knife.
Hearing the screams of Iris Azulay z”l, an 18 year old female soldier who had been attacked and died at the hands of the terrorist, Charlie grabbed his gun followed by Yael his heavily pregnant wife. Before Charlie was able to reach them, the terrorist also killed Eli Ataraz z”l and managed to slash a 13 year-old boy walking to school. Reaching the terrorist Charlie fired a warning shot into the air, an attempt to get him to surrender. When that failed he shot the terrorist in the legs in order to neutralize him and the terrorist fell wounded to the ground. Charlie ran to arrest him not knowing he was hiding another knife behind his back and the terrorist fatally stabbed him. Charlie Shlush was 26 years old at the time of his death. Yael, a widow and nine months pregnant, gave birth to a baby girl, Shirli, just one week later.
A most important aspect of the Yom Hazikaron Commemoration is direct involvement by community members who have lost a family member or friend in one of Israel’s wars or terrorist attacks. The Commemoration is an opportunity for bereaved families and friends to highlight the story and bravery of a fallen loved one and at the same time bring the whole community together in a show of solidarity to collectively commemorate and pay tribute to our fallen heroes and victims of terror. May their memories be forever blessed.
The sensitivity involved in this occasion means that participation in the ceremony depends entirely on the bereaved family or friend, and may include the lighting of a candle which is accompanied by the reading of a biography of the fallen; a photo in the program which every attendee receives and reserved seating in the hall.
In order to include as many bereaved families and friends as possible, the Yom Hazikaron communal co-hosting organisations invite you to contact Ilit Golshevsky at the Zionist Council of Victoria with information about the fallen family member or friend by emailing ilit@zcv.org.au or calling 03-9272 5544.
If you know of someone who has lost a member of their family or friend please forward them this message so that they too can be involved.
Probably Michael !!
“Invitation for the bereaved” – the bereaved are invited?