Yom Hazikaron - Memorial Day and Mothers' Day

Today was Mothers' Day and two months to the day that Lucas died.

Tonight began Memorial Day - Yom HaZikaron - in Israel. Gabi wanted to go down to the town ceremony at the school and I'm really glad we did. After a few speakers, songs, poems, etc., Kay Susan Wilson was introduced. I was very surprised and impressed. I don't think I wrote about it here on the blog, though I meant to, but in December two women walking in the woods quite near our house (about 5 kilometers away) were attacked. One of them, Kristine Luken, was killed. Kay Wilson was stabbed 15 times but first pretended to be dead and later found the strength to walk out of the woods and get help. 2-3 months after the incident, it was revealed that police had made arrests shortly after and arrested a group of Palestinians from nearby towns in the West Bank who were linked to another murder, a rape, and other crimes.

I was very impressed that such a short time later, Kay Wilson was able to address the approximately 2000 people gathered in Tzur Hadassah tonight. She is a native English speaker but spoke very well in Hebrew. She started out talking about what a beautiful day it was as they were walking near here in the Jerusalem Forest. She went on to talk about Kristine, how she loved Israel and supported the Jewish people although she was Christian, and how she was sometimes rejected for her beliefs. She talked about how although they were held captive that day, she believes that their captors were already imprisoned for years by their own hate. She talked about how difficult things are for her now - how every moment is full of pain and suffering, but how every moment is also infinitely precious. She quoted Sherry Mandell (mother of Koby Mandell who was murdered in 2000) about how her heart is broken and will never be the same, but how her new heart is open and enables her to feel greater compassion.

Kay said that she will never understand why Kristine was killed and why she survived, but that she knows that Kristine would want her to go on living life as fully as possible.

I had heard (on the radio) that Kay was a woman of great courage, and her speaking tonight showed that. She mentioned she recently took a hike to reclaim the woods in which they were attacked, and her speaking in Tzur Hadassah tonight also showed her great strength and courage.

I had been thinking of posting this song in memory of Lucas, and I also thought of it tonight:

Farther Along
(these are the lyrics found on the Dolly Parton lyrics site - I couldn't find her singing it but found these unusual very young girls singing it, and this Glen Campbell/Larry Gatlin version. Both are quite Christian - the lyrics below are a bit more parve.)

Tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all day long
While there are others living about us
Never molested though in the wrong

When death has come and taken our loved ones
It leaves our home so lonely and drear
Then do we wonder why others prosper
Living so wicked year after year

Farther along we'll know all about it
Farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine
We'll understand it all, by and by

Faithful 'til death, said our loving Master
A few more days to labor and wait
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing
As we sweep through the beautiful gates