Monday, June 30, 2014

We Are In Mourning

The three kidnapped teens, from left to right: Eyal Yifrach, Gil-ad Shaar and Naftali Fraenkel (photo credit: Courtesy)
Today was the last day of school for thousands of primary school and kindergarten pupils in Israel. Although the high schools broke up on the 20th June, today was the real start of the summer holiday. It's usually a wild night on the 30th June. The radio playing happy, beach and party music, children staying up late, watching movies and eating pizza, without the burden of homework hanging over them, and of course the parents laughing about all the excitement on fb - Hooray no packed lunches for two months! Help what am I going to do with them for two months at home? Thank Goodness, I HATE homework, Yoni, aged 37 1/2!

And so it was until about 8pm when there was suddenly a half hour news blackout. Of course we all have access to foreign news and rumours abounded. Then at about 8.30 it was announced that our three boys who were kidnapped by Hamas 18 days ago are dead. Their bodies were found in the early evening and their families were informed.

My facebook newsfeed suddenly overflowed with outpourings of grief from every quarter. Children were shuffled off to bed. The radio stations returned - all of them have switched to sad music. All of the radio stations. There is no happy music in Israel tonight. We have the kind we listen to on National Remembrance Day for our fallen soldiers, the kind of music we get on Holocaust Remembrance Day. I don't have tv but I know that there will be some major re-scheduling tonight. The security cabinet are meeting in emergency session at 9.30.

Baruch Dayan Emet. Rest in peace Gilad, Eyal, and Naftali, children of our nation, children of our hearts.

The three kidnapped teens, from left to right: Naftali Fraenkel, Gil-ad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach (photo credit: Courtesy)

Photos from The Times of Israel as are these news reports:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/bodies-of-three-kidnapped-teens-found/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-mourns-deaths-of-slain-teenagers/


21 comments:

  1. This is such terribly sad news. I had not heard about it. Sorry to hear of this xx

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  2. just left a comment but it disappeared. I was saying this is so very sad to hear of. xx

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    1. Sorry, moderating comments to filter out spam. Thanks Liska. xx

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  3. I was so sorry to hear on the news last night that they three young men had been found, murdered. I have been thinking a lot about them and their families since the news of their disappearance first broke.
    Myra, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to write Myra, and thank you for your condolences.

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  4. Such terribly sad news, it was on the radio and tv news over here, so young.

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    1. That's what i keep thinking when I look at their photos - these young men were supposed to get married and be fathers and them grandfathers.

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  5. Well put Rachel. Aren't the photos back to front? Sherrie。

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    1. What do you mean back to front? I don't understand.

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  6. What on earth is wrong with our world Rachel, so much hurt and unnecessary violence? Praying that these young men are now with the Lord and that their families can pull through. Mich x

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  7. I am so very very sorry. I don't understand division, I really don't. If only people could see this world from a higher perspective, where there are no boundaries of race, religion, colour, creed. Truly, it's heartbreaking.

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    1. I know, how can some words on a page or a belief in good lead you to think murder is ok?

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  8. So sorry to read this news, may they rest in peace...... XXX

    (ps.. I am about to take a two month blogging break, and will be back in September. Have a wonderful summer).

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  9. Thank you for your comment. And have great summer yourself and a good rest. See you in September. xx

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  10. And now a Palestinian boy ....

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