Israeli Chronicles — Connecting Israel & Cincinnati
The Yoms Until the End—Alon Peretz
By Alon Peretz, Friend from Israel/Chaver M’Israel, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Each September the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati welcomes two new Friends from Israel/ Chaverim M’Israel. This year we welcomed Alon Peretz and Hadas Silver, who will stay through summer 2017. This is the 13th year of the Friends from Israel/ Chaverim M’Israel program, which brings two post-high-school teenagers from our partner city, Netanya, to Cincinnati to share their stories, and teach people across the Cincinnati area about Israeli life. The Chaverim program works through the Federation’s Partnership2Gether (P2G). To bring the chaverim and their story to you, please contact Sharon Spiegel, Program Director, at sspiegel@jfedcin.org.
I can’t believe my stay in Cincinnati is almost over! It has been an incredible nine months, and I’m looking forward to spending the summer at camp before heading back to Israel. I think it’s appropriate to wrap up my Cincinnati experience by talking about two important Israeli holidays we recently celebrated—the “Yoms” (days).
I don’t mean just any Yom. I’m talking about the Yoms, as my amazing supervisor Sharon Spiegel puts it—Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day) and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day).
When I came to Cincinnati, I knew I wouldn’t be in Israel for either of these holidays this year. I wouldn’t be there to share my pain for those I have lost fighting for Israeli independence, and I wouldn’t be there to celebrate Israel’s birthday with my friends.
The days, weeks, and months passed, and the Yoms arrived.
Yom HaZikaron is the day we remember fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks. This is a really hard day in Israel. The country shuts down for the day. No movies; no music; just silence. The only thing on TV are movies and music written by families who lost loved ones. They are incredibly moving.
“If anything were to happen to you,
My life would have no meaning,
Tomorrow would have no purpose,
My life would have no meaning,
Tomorrow would have no purpose.”
“If you’re standing over me,
I guess I didn’t keep my promise,
I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
The first part of that song was written by the father of a fallen soldier. The second part was written by the soldier himself, in a letter left to his parents before he died.
This year, especially, Yom HaZikaron was personal. During Operation Protective Age, I lost my friend, Bar Rav. It’s not easy for me to know that as I continue to grow, he will never grow with me.
Before Yom HaZikaron, my older brother called me and said, “Be strong! Even though you won’t be in Israel with friends and family to support you, this Yom HaZikaron will be the most meaningful one you will ever have.” Five minutes after that phone call, I felt it. I was standing on the stage, sharing my story with the Cincinnati community—my new family and friends—and it hit me. I had an amazing chance to share Bar Rav’s story and to pass it on.
Just a few days later, we celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut. What a big change! I had just poured out my heart and soul, speaking about the most difficult part of my life, and in a matter of days, we were having a big party. Happy Birthday Israel! You’re 69 and still so damn hot! (Come on… not like that hot; the weather in Israel is really hot…)
I grew up hearing that, “Happiness is mixed with sadness.” Nothing is perfect. We need to enjoy life but still remember those whom we have lost. I think this phrase speaks volumes about the proximity of the two holidays.
Yom HaAtzmaut was a crazy day. I woke up and threw on my blue shoes and white t-shirt. We worked so hard getting ready for the celebration at Mayerson JCC. During the event, we were all running around making sure everything was running smoothly. For one moment, I stopped and took everything in—the 600 people around me, loud music, screaming kids—and all I heard was silence, absolute silence. The only sound I heard was inside my head, “Wow! I had a part in creating this amazing celebration!”
The Yoms were my grand finale in Cincinnati. I woke up the day after Yom HaAtzmaut and realized I had to start saying my goodbyes. I feel like I just got here, but I didn’t. I have been here for nine months already. Cincinnati is now my second home. It’s where I spent my year of service. Although I will still be around for another three months, I am leaving Cincinnati to spend the summer at Camp Livingston.
I’d like to take the opportunity to say thank you to everyone. Thank you for being here and teaching me so much. There’s a saying, “He came to teach and ended up learning.” Thank you for teaching me, for being my friends, for being my family, and for welcoming me into the community.
I would like to say a special thank you to some people who have been really important to me this year:
- Lisa and Josh Zelvy: I love you like my family.
- Abbie and John Youkilis: I have known you for a long time (since my brother lived in your house), and I’m lucky I get the chance to call you my parents.
- Sharon and Walter Spiegel: Thank you for being my mom and dad. I’ll always appreciate that.
- Thank you, Jacob Spiegel, for being a friend and brother to me.
- Karen and John Brownlee: Thank you for being there for me.
- Thank you, Zohar Volovelsky, for being my safe zone of Hebrew in the office.
- Thank you, Maia and Amit Morag, for being my parents here. I have learned a lot from you.
- Thank you, Justin Kirschner, for being my best friend and a brother.
I would like to say a very special thank you to my mom and dad for letting me go for a year to have this amazing experience. I love you.
The chaverim are hosted in homes by community members. The experience of hosting is as enriching for the families as it is for the chaverim. Israel is now a part of each family. And each family shares a son/daughter in Israel. If you want to learn more about hosting an Israeli teen in your home—for shorter experiences or as a chaverim host – please contact Sharon Spiegel at sspiegel@jfedcin.org.
Thank you to this year’s host families: Lisa and Josh Zelvy, Yana and David Duke, Karen and John Brownlee, and Dr. Abbie and John Youkilis.
