I1: Fallen Soldiers

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    One day a year we dedicate to the memory of
    those who have died in the defense of the State
    of Israel. Let the lights go down as The
    Jampacked Bible presents a play in their memory...

    "A Second Look"

    Characters: Four dead soldiers, A living spokesperson

    (Soldiers come in and lie motionless on the floor. the living spokesman stands to one side)

    Living spokesperson:

    Yom Hazikaron. The day we remember all those who died for the State of Israel. A day for the members of the Jewish Underground in the Hagana and the Irgun who died so that the State could be born. A day for the many soldiers of Zahal who were lost defending our Homeland. Incredibly, Israel has had a war nearly every ten years since its creation: 1948 The War of Independence, 1956 The Suez Crisis, 1967 The Six Day War, 1973 The Yom Kippur War, 1982 The Lebanon War, and in the last years, the bloody struggle with the Palestinians. We remember every battle, every death. A day for over 20,000 soldiers. It would take an entire day just to recite each of their names. How can we hope to remember all this?

    But let me ask you, do we really want to know about the lives of these people? Where they were from? What was their story? What did they feel and believe? Does all that really concern us? Surely it is their deaths that we are remembering?

    Maybe Yom HaZikaron, the Day of Remembrance, is the wrong name. Because more than remembering these people, we owe these people. We owe them for a homeland, a secure place for our people. A place where there is no shame in being Jewish. They have given the Jewish people a future. This day should be a day of thanks, a tribute. They died so that we can live!

    (Soldier 3 sits up and addresses the spokesperson)

    Soldier 3:

    Excuse me! What are you talking about? All this is about you. Your words are addressing yourself. We died so that you can live?! I died for you? I don't even know you. OK, so you're Jewish and our families probably link up some ten generations back, but so what?

    My friend, if you want any understanding of this day then listen. Don't talk. Don't try and find ideas behind things. Don't look for some deep significance that you think will help you to understand yourself better. In fact, don't come with any ulterior motives. Come just to listen. Listen to the dead. Don't wonder how you should react, just listen to their stories...

    (The other soldiers sit up and relax. Soldier 3 joins them. Soldier 1 then gets up to speak)

    Continued
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