a vigil for those past

israel sure does know how to do sadness, unsurpassed by any other. in the course of ONE week, there are three sirens, to remind the entire nation of its past and those who fought to make israel a reality. although they are relatively short bursts, its enough to penetrate the thoughts and actions into momentary sadness. even though the holocaust rings strongly in israelis' past, none hits further home than the soldiers who perished while protecting the values and the land of israel. the israel defense forces are comprised of people who are younger than i am, as military duty in israel is compulsory. while most do not see action, it is undeniable that their time as a soldier on duty has impact on the rest of their lives. i am not writing off the american memorial days but the ones here in israel are more... harrowing, to say the least. the people who die for this country are mere young men and women, aged eighteen to twenty-two. i don't know what i'm trying to say. i shouldn't even be comparing america and israel together, seeing as they are completely different ideologically, historically, culturally, etc. but for some reason, i feel more affected by the services in israel than i do by the ones in the states. i can't explain it, i just feel it. i will also be happier once these days are past, which will culminate in israel's independence day which will be nothing short of amazing fun. supposedly, there is a jerusalem day coming up in may. there is also shavuot. may these be happier times.

i am also ready to start school again; i'm tired of break.