Three Lives Taken, A Million Hearts Broken

Peace. When everyone gets along, when there are no wars, an absence of hostility. But of course, the world we live in isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. Especially in the Middle East, where the far away image of peace is a flying feather in the wind, the idea seeming ridiculous. Because in the land of holiness surrounded by enemies, the people who inherit the area feel as if peace will never be reached. After the tragic death of three young men in the army, whose ages ranged from sixteen to nineteen, the nation of Israel was immensely upset. Muslims, who took their fragile lives in their hands and crushed them, captured these boys, who were at the time studying in school. This had been the first Sabbath where their parents recited the Mourner’s Kaddish over their deceased boys instead of praying for their safety.

Why is it that this is such a tremendous tragedy in Israel? If an event similar to this occurred in the US or anywhere else, it wouldn’t have been so widespread. Which in fact, events like kidnapping, murders, and mass shootings happen every day in the US. So why is Israel taking this tragic event and placing it deep in the pulsing veins of their heart? The answer doesn’t require too much thinking: the population of the Jewish people is extremely important to them. Ever since the unexplainable tragedy known as the Holocaust where six million Jews lost their lives, this race isn’t up for losing any more lives. Even though this event involves only three mere people, this is a very, very big deal. Also, taking into consideration that Israel isn’t a very big country, about the size of Rhode Island, when something happens, everyone knows and the news spreads like wildfire. 

The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) was searching for the three boys, and in a span of eighteen days, they found their bodies. The Israeli people were trying to keep their hopes up, and instilled in their minds was the burning hope that the boys would still be alive. Within days of their known death, memorials were set up all over the heartbroken country, with statements written on them such as “They Killed Our Boys” and “Who’s Next?”. This says a lot about how upsetting the boys’ loss means to the Israeli people. Among the memorials, people left packages of candles and set aside matches next to them so people could light candles to represent the loss of the three deceased boys. In the center of it all, a stack of candles that were no longer burning with flames were piled up into a humongous stack, representing all the lives Israel had lost, and not only the recent deaths. So really, when you ask, “Why is this such a big deal to Israel?” the answer won’t be too far away.

Leeor Acrich, 16, California