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/