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PM Netanyahu, in advance of Yom Hazikaron, donned tefillin, explainingthat the mother of a fallen soldier from the Tzuk Eitan operation gave him her son's tefillin. These tefillin had been with him the entire time in battle and it was the only item to survive the battle in which Moshiko Dwino fell. The tefillin covers are still coated in ash from the battle. Netanyahu said he promised her that he would lay them in memory of Moshiko and in memory of the other fallen soldiers.

Journalist Amit Segal surmises this is the first time Netanyahu has put on tefillin. Personally I doubt that, but maybe first time as Prime Minister.

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In the Haredi city of Modiin Ilit they prepared for Yom Hazikaron by hanging the Israeli flag on the central tower with the caption "for we are all brothers"...

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  -- Miriam Peretz

I can respect that. Not having served in the army, especially in these times of tension and friction, with the debates over the new Draft Law having begun and the law being prepared for passage, their participation would surely have raised eyebrows, at minimum, and most likely caused fractious ceremonies. Nobody needs that right now. It looks like they are chickening out, but to me it seems to be the best of the bad options.

Though, they do say they serve an equally important function, if not more important by learning Torah - the Torah learning done in the yeshivas being the source of the success of the IDF. Perhaps if they are really partners in the IDF, with some by serving in the IDF ranks and others by serving in the yeshivas, perhaps that is a reason to attend and not cancel. Show that you really believe you are part of, the main part of, the IDF's successes.

Another consideration, I saw online some saying that as soldiers attending such ceremonies in the past, even though Haredim did not serve they appreciated seeing them attend the ceremonies, being sensitive to the losses of the ones who did serve, and it made them feel more connected as one nation with each doing its part but recognizing the other. If they stop attending, perhaps that will be lost. Though, and I am just musing, perhaps there is a difference when attending as an observer with empathy and creating a connection rather than as the government representative. Worth consideration. 

Because of the sharp political divide, especially exacerbated by the recent attempt to pass the judicial reform leading to massive protests, nobody is willing to give an inch to anyone on the other side. 

I have heard a lot of back and forth on this with arguments for both sides. One thing I have not heard mentioned is that the politicians are people too, Israelis like everyone else, some of whom served in the army (several in the government did not or did not significantly), some were officers or commanders or generals, and like all other Israelis lost family members in battle, lost friends or fellow soldiers, and they too want to commemorate their beloved who fell as soldiers or as victims of terror. And yes, coming as a representative of the government is different than coming as a private individual, but they have no way of coming to a commemoration as a private individual - even if they do others at the ceremony may very well treat them like a representative of the government.

There may very well be a time to reconsider and debate the traditional method of commemoration on Yom Hazikaron. Until a social consensus is reached, whenever that may be, I wish the divide would not be so sharp and that people would not use these commemorations to make political statements. But we know that is not going to happen.

This has been done in the past as well, at Benjamin Netanyahu when he was Prime Minister, and probably at other Prime Ministers as well.

Truly such ceremonies on such solemn days are not the time or place for involving politics and screaming political messages at this or that politician.

That being said, the families present are grieving and hurting and cannot really be blamed for it, though by no means must their opinions be given any special importance. 

And, that being said, perhaps it is time for a different approach. Maybe these ceremonies should not include the participation of politicians, especially when people have lost the ability to be non-partisan and accepting of the other.

If the State can decide that the biggest and most anticipated part of the celebration of Independence Day, the fireworks display, can be abandoned to the potential of triggering PTSD in too many people, perhaps the politicians should not be present at these events as their presence triggers the trauma and PTSD of some grieving participants.

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this song was originally written in memory of Hadar Goldin who fell in battle in Operation Tzuk Eitan in Gaza, 2014

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