Jewish Agency, WZO commemorate victims of Mt. Meron tragedy
"This disaster put an end to the lives of 45 men, teens and young children: The entire Jewish world has come to a standstill," said Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFJewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog (left) and Acting director of the WZO Yaakov Haguel (right) light memorial candles for the victims of the Mount Meron tragedy, Sunday, May 2, 2021.(photo credit: THE JEWISH AGENCY)
The Jewish Agency for Israel and the World Zionist Organization on Sunday held memorial ceremonies in Jerusalem honoring the victims of the Mount Meron tragedy.Some ceremonies were held at different locations across the city, including the National Institutions Building on King George Street.The ceremonies included lighting memorial candles for the victims of the disaster and reciting kaddish.Speakers included Rabbi Noam Koenigsberg, the rabbi of 19-year-old Daniel Morris, originally from New Jersey, who was visiting Israel as part of a Masa program.The initiative also included standing for a minute’s silence Sunday night at 8 p.m. as Jewish communities across the world were to join the initiative to show solidarity with the victims and with the national day of mourning.“This disaster put an end to the lives of 45 men, teens and young children,” Jewish Agency chairman Isaac Herzog said. “The entire Jewish world has come to a standstill.”“What began as prayers of joy before disaster struck will now become cries of mourning as we grieve the loss of the victims,” he said. “Tonight, those cries will momentarily transform into a hushed silence when the entire Jewish world collectively takes a moment to contemplate their loss.”WZO acting director Yaakov Hagoel spoke about the collective nature of the disaster and that it affects us all.“The tragedy that befell us on Mount Meron impacts each of us,” he said. “This loss doesn’t differentiate between one’s type of kippah or color of clothes, between the length of the tzitzit or size of the hat. Every year, all of Am Israel arrives at Mount Meron, whether they be secular, traditional, national religious, ultra-Orthodox, Ashkenazi or Sephardi.”
