ZACHOR

This evening, on my walk around Jerusalem to get some fresh air, i passed by the Restobar, one of my favorite places to grab a glass of wine and unwind. Like many places in the streets of Jerusalem, there is a sign out front next to the guard station in memory of a number of individuals who were murdered in a suicide bombing. I often look at the sign and continue on my way. Tonight however there was a crowd of people around this sign. Last night was the 5 year anniversary of this bombing. Tonight family and friends gathered and lit candles in memory of these individuals who lost their life grabbing a drink at the same restaurant I shared a drink at on Thursday night. As I walked by, I wondered who these people were? how their families were coping? Were they there with friends? Some of them were my age, now nothing more than a memory and a reminder of the instability and fear that grips this society. This was the first time I passed by one of the signs and saw the candles lit. And then, a disgusting thought crossed my mind. While these people are outside remembering and mourning the loss of their innocent loved ones, somewhere, another community or family might be celebrating the anniversary of their loved one’s victory over the Jewish people. Sad and troublesome as that sounds, I have to remind myself daily that what I see as a loss of innocent life, others see as payback for occupation.
I don’t want to get political or grim, but I am reminded daily, each time I walk by a memorial of the innocent life lost for my rights and privilege to bein the land that I hold so dear. And I will remember those who i never had the opportunity to meet, those whose memory will serve as a reminder to the fight I will fight as a Jew, the fight to live freely in the world. But, I will not be afraid. I will go to Restobar again, I will continue to walk Ben Yehuda and grab a falafel, visit my favorite coffee shops and live my life, through this, their memory will live on! ZACHOR!!