Carmel Castle is associated with the memory of the fallen. On Sunday, May 12.5.24, XNUMX, the central city rally was held in the memorial plaza to commemorate the Day of Remembrance for the Fallen of Israel's systems and hostilities, in the presence of the bereaved families; Mayor, Dodo Cohen; his replacement, Emi Afomedu; His deputies, Chateau Matakia and Kafir Ovadia; The deputy mayor, Itai Barzani; members of the city council and the municipal administration; the chief rabbi of Tirat Carmel, Rabbi Baruch Tolidano; Commanders of the security and rescue forces and representatives of the IDF.
The siren in memory of the fallen
The rally, attended by many hundreds of city residents, opened with a minute-long siren in memory of the fallen, after which the flag was lowered to half-mast. Cantor Yitzhak Shetrit recited the prayer "Yizkor" and a chapter of the Psalms, and moved to Nyado Gibutro, who, accompanied by her brother, Sergeant Nahum Lanyoto, lit the candle of remembrance. Uri Ohion, brother of the late Eden Liz Ohion, who was murdered at the nature party in Kibbutz Ra'im on October 7, recited Kaddish.
The ceremony, which was directed by Danny Katz, was accompanied by the ensembles of the "Heart of the Heart" band of the Tirat Carmel community center, with the singers Masada Ish Yamini and Ido Amdor, and the musicians of the conservatory conducted by Alex Friedman, in singing and playing parts. Near the stage, a "Yizkor" complex was established where the fallen, the sons and daughters of the city, are commemorated.
The mayor, Dodo Cohen, addressed the bereaved family that has expanded in recent months since October 7:
Tens of thousands of victims of Israel's regimes are the silver platter on which the Jewish state was given to us - and it is still given to us, time after time, every year, every month, every week and every day. I believe, if they could, the fallen are asking us to stick to life, but to do it together, without letting the differences in the nation tear us apart from the inside. It's time we really listen to each other. This is our duty to the fallen, and it is also our duty to future generations.
On Independence Day this year, we will not be able to rejoice wholeheartedly. It is hard to celebrate when we still have abductees in Gaza, when there are dead civilians and soldiers, who have not yet been brought to eternal rest in Israel's grave. It's hard to celebrate, when just a few months ago we were hit by the biggest disaster since the establishment of the state. But the independence celebrations are not an expression of forgetting the loss or ignoring the bereavement and the terrible pain, but recognition of all those who sacrificed their lives for the nation and those thanks to whom we are still here. Out of the sanctity of this day, we embrace the members of the bereaved families who lost their dearest of all. Out of the endless longing for those who are no longer with us, we pledge to protect the State of Israel, our home, a country that was the home of the fallen, the home for which they sacrificed their lives.
The chief rabbi of the city, Rabbi Baruch Tolidano, also spoke; and the representative of the IDF and daughter of the city, Col. Nega Nahum; Cantor Yitzchak Shetrit led the prayer "To God full of mercy"; the names of the fallen men and women of the city were read; and the ceremony concluded with the laying of wreaths.
At the end of the rally, as every year, there was a "singers to their memory" event, with the participation of the singer Yonatan Kalimi and the youth ensembles, who sang warrior songs. The entire evening was broadcast live on the Facebook page of the Municipality of Tirat Carmel.
