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| Israel’s Independence Day celebrated in Germany
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Celebrations of Israel's Independence Day in Berlin on Tuesday night.
Photo: EJP
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Communities across Germany have celebrated Israel’s Independence Day, Yom Haatzmaut, which began in Israel on Tuesday night with a series of events..
However, this year’s celebrations were more sober than in the past. The death of the 69-year-old president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany Paul Spiegel last Sunday put a visible dampener on the traditionally lively celebrations.
Venues that, in the past, could usually not accommodate all revellers were unusually filled with empty seats and tables. The usual lists of distinguished politicians were also not on hand.
In his tribute to the day, Gideon Joffe, chairman of Berlin’s Jewish community, honoured the Jews that have come to make Germany their home. Nevertheless, he admonished everyone to defend their rights as full-fledged citizens.
Importance of advocacy
Joffe also reminded Jews in Germany that it was their responsibility to take part in defending Israel’s reputation. “It should be important to us to show Israel that it has friends here in Germany and all over the world,” he told a crowd of about 250 people.
“Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is fighting in the defence of western democratic values and whoa to the world if Israel should ever fail in this fight”, Joffe exclaimed.
Ilan Mor, Israel’s deputy ambassador to Germany highlighted the fact that most Jewish events seem to be coupled with both uplifting and sad events at the same time. “Just as we finish commemorating the fallen soldiers of Israel’s wars and the victims of terror, on Yom Hazikaron, hardly a week after we remember the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, we are gathered here together to celebrate a happy event, Israel’s rebirth as a modern nation,” Mor said.
Mor called on Jewish community members to not waiver in their support for the Jewish homeland. “You are the partner that has helped turn Israel into the strategic power that she is – and one that must be reckoned with,” Mor told his audience.
“Israel is an exemplary country to which many other nations have begun looking up towards,” he said.
Fallen soldiers remembered
Mor underlined that Israel is a strong society – “not a society of spider webs that can be so easily be swept aside”.
The day before, the Jewish outreach group Lehava (known as Bnei Akiva in other countries) organized Yom Hazikaron commemorations throughout Germany.
Yom Hazikaron is Israel’s memorial day. It honours the fallen soldiers of all Israeli wars as well as all victims of terror.
The mandate of the young men and women of Lehava is to instil religious traditions and Zionist values among young Jews living in Germany. Since all Lehava members have served in Israel’s military, their group leader, Zvi Tamari, encouraged them to communicate the message of Israel’s importance to the Jewish world as well as the significance of the sacrifice that was involved in preserving the Israeli state.
With simple candle lightings, poetry readings, singing, video presentations and information boards, the Lehava groups were able to convey the meaning of Yom Hazikaron.
Although Paul Spiegel’s death created a sobering atmosphere for most people, many younger individuals were nevertheless able to concentrate on the positive aspects of Israel’s foundation and went dancing at one of dozen venues set up for the Yom Hatzmaut holiday.
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