National Day of Mourning and Celebration

A discussion was initiated a few days ago by some Knesset members requesting the government declare a national day of mourning for the people and communities ravaged in the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, the day of Simchat Torah.

Today, Yossi Fuchs, Cabinet Secretary, has put the discussions to rest. For now.

Fuchs decided that while a national day of mourning for what was the worst tragedy, the worst attack, since the founding of Israel, the time for it is not now while we are still at war for what happened at that day, and just at the beginning of the process of that war.

Fuchs said there will be a time to set that day of mourning, but that day is not today.

I think that was a good decision and a wise decision. The government is dysfunctional enough and it needs to stay focused on the war it is trying to wage against Hamas and not be distracted by conducting ceremonies and memorials, and speeches that may also bring down morale and cause sadness and more grief among the population and among the troops.

The day does deserve a National Day of Mourning of some sort.. I dont know what day that might be, the religious will not allow that day to be on a Simchat Torah, the day it happened, because of the need to be joyous n the holiday in coming years. Maybe the 30th day of mourning can be declared the ay of mourning, maybe the 7th day, maybe another day. Whatever day is to be chosen as the day can wait until the end of the war. And maybe, just maybe, we will also be able to declare a National Day of Celebration for the eradication of Hamas by then.

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