Israel Uncensored: Remembering Those who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

now hastin here Israel uncensored on the Land of Israel network at the Land of Israel calm it is Monday April 27 2020 the third of er five seven eight oh and this is an extremely special also moving time here in the Land of Israel we just had Yom Hashoah last week remember eating the six million-plus infused murdered at the hands of the Nazis in the Holocaust and without much turnaround time here we are just a week later back to back yom has a car on Memorial Day here in Israel followed by Independence Day going from the absolute lows with over I think the official number here twenty three thousand eight hundred and sixteen Israeli servicemen killed in defense of the State of Israel all the way back from 1870 until now at the same time oh and then of course by the way your Matsumoto Independence Day the next day where we celebrate which is for for many people here the highlight of the year this year of course a little bit different because of the corona restrictions everybody encouraged to stay at home there actually is a closure on all of our communities which we'll talk about later on in the show but I want to focus now on Yama's occur on Memorial Day we're gonna get to a very special guest and now here in just a minute her name is Adina mark Capone she's a top-notch party planner who lives in Efrat and in May of 2001 her mother Sarah blaustein of blessed memory 53 years old if a fraud was killed and the drive-by shooting was murdered a drive-by shooting on the road from Jerusalem to gush etzion just north of Nevada yell Esther Alvin another 20 year old was also killed in that attack so not only do we remember those who fell in defense of the State of Israel we also remember on this day those who were murdered in the terror attacks which go back you know people think that they started I don't know in 1967 or whatnot but we've been under the threat of terror for over a hundred years here in Israel so we remember those who lost their lives in the tax so Edina mark come on thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us here on Israel uncensored on the Land of Israel network Thank You me tell me if you can your memories of of the incident in which in which your mother was murdered back in 2001 on May 29th 2001 here in Israel was the day after Shavuot in in New York or I was living at the time it was the second day of shovel and so we had to be contacted it was for us it was it was holiday and we were in in synagogue as a family and we had to be contacted and it was kind of a whole story you know who's gonna answer the phone how we gonna find and how we're gonna get to them and of course they round up finding us and getting to us and giving us the news within minutes of getting the the news of what happened to my mother there were reporters and press at the door or rabbis from across the Navy I lived in the five towns and so there's a lot of shows a lot of communities and rabbis who walk him over neighbors and friends everyone heard about it somehow even though it was it was still cheveux and within those hours the lots of phone calls and a lot of I would say like swirling memories in my brain and I was so clear but somehow tickets were purchased reservations were made and and all kinds of arrangements were made and we got into a claim it was my my then-husband I took my six-month-old baby that I was nursing I left three other children at home one of my brothers who was with me and we got in the car and when we got to the airport waiting for us there was my aunt my mother's sister and and actually one of my cousins and we all flew together for the funeral insist and we stayed we stayed for the Shiva and plus and from what I understand there were you had other other siblings or I'm not sure if siblings are step siblings were in the car at the time as well oh my yeah my brother a different brother of mine who lived in New York but he he came to visit my mom first of all oh so he was with her in the car and our little sister at the time she was she didn't go she didn't go in the car she waited at home so when we got when we landed in Israel and we got there waiting for us was my mother's brother was my brother my sister my grandmother my money my grandmother who buried her daughter and they waited for us that my mother was killed in in the morning hours of May 29th they waited for us to arrive in Israel for the funeral so it was a nighttime funeral tell me tell me if you can and I don't want I don't want this to sound like an insensitive question god forbid but but but tell me if you can put into words in any way I mean the the impact of that event if you can remember back to 2001 and how it is an it has had an impact or an effect on you you know till this day we're now nineteen years approximately later well like you know that's a whole that's a lot of there's a lot to that answer you know the effect of of something like this is it's life-changing it's life-altering for each person involved and you know like I said I'm the oldest of three younger siblings I had to single brothers at the time a sister who was 12 years old my grandmother who since passed away was with and you know who had to who had to bury daughter my mom and and of course my mothers are the two siblings so there's everyone's affected differently and my mother's husband sorry who was also he was in the car and he was injured so everyone's affected differently everyone's affected somehow in some way and you know I'll tell you the truth as it as anyone can tell you who's who's [Music] experienced a traumatic any sort of trauma but certainly a traumatic death sometimes you don't know that the effects right away sometimes it takes years for that the effects to happen I at this point nineteen years later I really believe and I like to think that a lot of good that came out of it it's a hard it's a hard thing to say and I think it's a hard thing to hear the first time someone told me that with sherry and Elle the mother of Kobe Mandel who was murdered only a few months earlier before my mother they were he was huge him and no safe issue and were murdered right around logged by Omer so it was only like a month six weeks I think of my mother which was I'm several and sherry who lost her son in such a brutal tragic terror attack said to me so many good things came out of it and I I wasn't ready to hear it at the time but because it came from her I wanted to understand it and so I let it sink in and I thought about it and it took me a long time and took me a lot of years and and and I don't know if everyone agrees now I'm sure there are like everyone you know has their own experiences in their own feeling so maybe everyone maybe feeling that people won't agree with me but I do I see goodness I see the what my kids like to call butterfly effect our alia to Israel was in response to my mother's murder subsequently many other family members cousins of mine aunts and uncles and and and and you can call them distant family but we're very close though they also made alia in response wonderful you know projects and her memory and her name a lot of beautiful things that happens from it and you know we wouldn't trade that for having her back for old world but um how it affected us is really only for the best for the good well it's it's amazing you're focusing on the good despite that that horrible tragedy and here we are now just on the eve of Yom Ozzie Quran which what I remember Yamazaki Ron always as focused on the soldiers and now unfortunately as a result of our reality now it's also folk to focus on the terror those who were murdered in terror attacks as well what what do you personally normally do you know leading up to Yamazaki runner on the day itself and and how is it going to be different this year with all the corona related restrictions right so I am from my personal comfort comes from being surrounded by my family you know it's it's somewhat of a cliche d but all cliches come from a place of truth right we feel that loss everyday there's not a day that goes by that my mother isn't missing to me as a mother to my children as a grandmother so many years have passed and so many wonderful occasions and beautiful monumental events that she's missed she's not there and we feel that all the time and I see your Mzee corona as a time where I welcome the rest of our nation to join me in remembering I don't expect everyone to remember my mother every day not their mother but I well it's a welcome it's a welcome invitation if you know if I can say that to say to everyone thank you so much for also having this day and remembering her honoring her all of the victims all of the soldiers and all the terror victims today's the day that the families are comforted by by you comforted by your remembering and by your honoring them because you know we have a pretty bleak home that was left behind on a daily basis so generally I do I like when you ask what I normally do I like having my family around me for many years I didn't go to the cemetery at the time of the ceremony the national ceremony were wrongs and Thrones and thousands of people were there I I didn't like that I like to go alone I would get there really early like at 7:00 in the morning affect out the cleaners were there washing down on the graves that I found that very moving I liked watching the cleaners washing down the graves of all the victims I'm a remembrance today and leaving in Israel what they do is they leave flags hide with the black ribbon and I like to watch and I like being there really early watching that and I liked my time alone there was one year that I actually took works my car at the place where she was killed at the exact spot on the road on highway it's a major highway as you know on the highway 60 here and the bush and I and that's where I wanted to be for the siren so kind of like change throughout years different years and you know where where I was psychologically mentally of what I like to do but for the most part I really like to be surrounded by my family and I mean I I don't want to say the word enjoy but I enjoy people's words of comfort and support and it's it's um it's nice it's comforting so I guess in this year it would be perhaps no different being surrounded by your family I guess with with the corona and that in that reality yeah so um so you know like I said a lot of views I didn't like to be there for the tech s and then the world out of hears that I did for the ceremony at the gravesite and then a lot of years I did and I enjoyed again the people coming over to me and asking can you please tell us about your mother whom she and and honoring her at her gravesite so there were a lot of years that I did appreciate that and this year we're gonna go today we're gonna go today before we get locked down hopefully there'll be a flag with the black ribbon already on it cuz I I don't know that gives me some sort of comfort another thing that's that I uncomfort in or or maybe I'm giving comfort is the young woman who was murdered in the same terror attack with my mother she was a east hitchhiker who was in the car and she was also murdered well she's very right next to her that's their buried right next to each other and so when I see her parents every year her mother lying and we hug and we stand together and we hold hands and I think we both give each other a lot of comfort so I'll miss that this year I called her this morning to tell her that I'll miss her and she's a much older woman and I was kind of worried about her being alone on yozakura but she said she won't be alone and I hope she'll be okay even though I'm not there next huh very very moving no doubt it's hard to put it in to put it into words and I'm sure it is for many many people I mean you did you did a great job expressing what you're doing this year and and you know and your thoughts just one last question as we are talking right now I literally hear outside my window the iaf the Israel Air Force planes going by preparing for Independence Day which is the day after Memorial Day this year also it'll be a little bit different instead of I believe instead of flying throughout the whole country they're gonna focus on flying over hospitals and and really acknowledging the medical personnel throughout the country who have or literally on the front lines risking their lives so you try to help those with the coronavirus and and help everyone here in Israel so just if you can last question talk about that transition from Memorial Day from mourning the loss of your mother on Memorial Day in just a few hours later the flags are raised and people are partying it's like the happiest one of the happiest days about the happiest day of the year in Israel you can't just describe to the audience the transition I'll tell you I um you know my mother was the the inspiration that my mother can offer to everyone in her story and the story of her life and the story of her death is that she was she loved this country she was such a Zionist she she she really fulfilled her dream and I you know she was killed only nine months after her Aliyah she she fulfilled a dream of a lifetime and she didn't even get a year you know she didn't even get a full cycle and I think even if she knew that she still would have done it meaning like she just really wanted to live here and she really wanted to comment it's a really inspiring story and yo Maxima or like I grew up in New York with my mother who would like no service blue and blue and white cookies on your hats mode at home no one did that like she just always had it in her there was every little touch that she could do to connect us to Israel and living Israel she did and so the transitions for me - yo mas mode is like even additional kind of memorializing my mother and following in her footsteps and what she would have wanted now you understand for some people that's easy and I understand it and I know it for me it's an okay transition it's a happy a happy way of memorializing her pretty amazing that was very very moving and I just wish the best for you your entire family all of all of Israel as we go through this process and as you said you welcome the rest of the nation into what you're experiencing and and I believe that you're upholding that and I know so many many unfortunately so many people have to go through it and are doing the same I want to thank you so much for your time Idina mark Capone was by the way a top-notch party planner so if you want information on having parties these guys after Corona start having parties it's called what is it a twosie party planning a tizzy the event Israel okay hopefully we can do another show and just focus on that and the smut and the happy times wish you the best in memory of your mother Sarah blaustein ashame become dama and all the others who died defense of the State of Israel and who died at the hands of our of our enemies which we are commemorating starting this evening thank you so much for your time and Rastas my thoughts all the best man and then this week Jeremy Gimpel with a special important message on the final return of Israel every individual has divine providence in their life because Abraham was just one man he was one family and the Jewish people are an extension of just this one promise given to one man and as his destiny unfolds through us the world sees that everyone has a destiny for the full show click on Jeremy Gimpel on the Land of Israel Network at the land of Israel dot-com and we are back Josh Easton hear Israel uncensored on the Land of Israel network at the Land of Israel calm for Monday the 27th of April 2020 the 3rd of ER 5 7 8 o on the eve of Memorial Day almost ECAR on here in Israel thanks again to Adina mark Capone on coming on the show and sharing the story of her mother Sarah blaustein who was murdered on the road from Jerusalem to gush etzion back in 2001 oh man that was that was difficult folks it doesn't get any easier talking to the families of victims of terror or families who lost loved ones soldiers throughout Israel's turbulent history but as Adina said at the end or mother was it was the ultimate Zionist and loved the State of Israel unfortunately only lived here for nine months before she was murdered and a lot of the family making alia coming to Israel coming home to Israel in response which is truly inspiring and unbelievable if you missed any of that interview go back and check it out part one of the show again as we head towards Memorial Day this evening The Times of Israel points out that 42 soldiers and civilians were killed since last Memorial Day bringing the number the total number since 18 I think I said 1870 I'm in 1862 twenty-three thousand eight hundred and sixteen men and women and and those who were who were killed defending the State of Israel and its citizens in total seventy five names were added to the roster of those who died defending the country I mentioned forty-two IDF soldiers also police officers civilians killed and those killed in terror attacks thirty-three were disabled veterans who passed away due to complications from injuries sustained during their service that's reported by times of Israel we will start Memorial Day Yama's II Quran this evening with a one-minute siren at 8:00 p.m. and then a two-minute siren tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. I believe starting the official launch of of the ceremony tomorrow as perhaps never before the cemeteries will I guess unofficially be closed tomorrow families were encouraged to go visit the graves of their loved ones today as Edina mentioned also but police will not physically enforce the order banning bereaved families from coming into a cemetery but the the point is here that they want to prevent any god forbid spread of the virus through major gatherings in normal circumstances and normal years there are about 1 million Israelis who descend upon the cemeteries on Memorial Day o Mzee Quran every year this year will be different and again then you have that transition and if you haven't been in Israel for the transition I'm sure I've talked about it in years past on my show there is nothing like that emotional transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day just you know it's a matter of minutes when the flags are raised and you go from extreme sadness and mourning to happiness celebrating our Independence Day with barbecues and again this year it'll be different everybody should should be staying at home and there'll be a lockdown a curfew which will begin at 5 p.m. in the afternoon 5 p.m. Israel time tomorrow Tuesday and end on Wednesday evening after Independence Day so it'll be a yo Mazique our own helmets mode like never before and I encourage everyone just to follow as hard as it might be to follow the rules follow the rules as a result of what is going on and the result of our reality reported here by the Jewish press speaking of corona Israel's Health Ministry reported this morning the number of Corona deaths has risen to two hundred and three one man died of the virus overnight and another person died this morning unfortunately a number of patients in Israel has risen by 23 since yesterday this is apparently the fewest daily reported cases since since March 20th to God that that means we're doing something right here that were on the right path 15,000 466 infected currently with the virus in Israel 6700 96 recovered please God we're doing something right even though even though and and and again I don't know I'm not a doctor I don't know if this is the right strategy the wrong strategy here are times of Israel reports that the government has lifted again this doesn't include Independence Day where there's a total closure but further restrictions have been lifted as of Friday gradually gradually reopening Israel's economy shopping malls still closed restaurants still closed but you can get takeaway now you can go to the beauty salons hairdressers other stores are open as of Thursday I believe they are lifting nearly almost almost all restrictions on sporting activities in other words up until now you've only been able to go 500 meters from your house about 500 yards if you want to carry out any type of athletic activities now it looks like looks like perhaps I'll be able to get back on the bike on Thursday and do a little riding through the hills of Goshen see on of course maintaining the 2 meter rule staying 2 meters away from the closest person but things are starting to open up here in Israel and please God this is the right decision and and I won't lead to any type of spreading of the virus I'm being extremely optimistic I hope that's the case Israel national news reports the Syrian government on a different topic here reported a so-called hostile Israeli attack on targets in southern Damascus early this morning just hours after Israeli defense minister Naftali Bennett hinted at an upcoming military operation speaking at a press conference yesterday Bennett alluded to an operation against the Iranian forces stationed in Syria saying keep your ears open to what you see and hear just hours later Syria's media reported that Israeli aircraft were spotted in Lebanese airspace and had fired missiles on targets in the southern Damascus area at 4:55 a.m. this morning this is a story in progress but it looks like that it looks like that Corona is not going to stop Israel from targeting those who seek our destruction and we certainly should not take any break in doing that The Jerusalem Post this morning says that Israel will be able to apply its laws to what they call the West Bank in Judea and Samaria in a couple of months following a pledge from u.s. Donald Trump that is based on comments Prime Minister Netanyahu made on Sunday at an online conference of pro-israel Christians which marked the centennial of the San Remo conference that recognized Jews right to self-determination in the historic homeland of Israel and by the way I'm going to be writing about that here shortly for jns news there was actually a conference yesterday by a meteor - and several other organizations who sponsored the event which talked about the importance of San Remo marking the hundredth anniversary of that conference which essentially made the the establishment of the Jewish state legal under international law rather which by the way included at that time Judea and Samaria and that is what I've been telling people groups that I speak with people that I talk to that is the the last legal internationally recognized decision about what should happen to this area namely the establishment of a Jewish state and all of the land of Israel at that time it was even what is known as Jordan today that was originally supposed to be a homeland for the Jewish people and then slowly slowly Great Britain and the UN started slicing away the map but if you talk about international law people say oh the so-called settlements the communities in Judea and Samaria are illegal under international law we'll go back to the San Remo conference the legal nations decision that is the last legally binding decision on this area of Judea and Samaria which put it clearly as part of the Jewish homeland of the State of Israel back to the article the coalition agreement between Likud and blue and white sign last week states that annexation can be brought to a vote in the cabinet the Knesset on July the for July the first rather at the earliest of course France France threatened at the UN Security Council on Thursday such a move would not pass unchallenged and shall not be overlooked in our relationship with Israel so threats from France Europe once again it's not just France other countries also threatening to who do who knows what against the Jewish state of Israel okay instead of worrying about Corona in their countries and fighting the virus the obsession continues against communities of Judea and Samaria especially by the European Union nothing has changed nothing has changed at all the attitude hasn't changed whether we're talking about 1940s or today Israel the Jews put under a microscope back then it was worse obviously put under a microscope instead of worrying about their own citizens they're more concerned I'm telling you it's an obsession they're more concerned about what's going on here in the Land of Israel and the Jews returning to Judea where we have been for three thousand years so the obsession continues also reported by the Jay post Israel's population has hit almost nine point two million people ahead of Independence Day reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics that's an increase of one hundred and seventy one thousand persons over the last 12 months amounting to a population growth rate of 1.9 percent by 2030 Israel's population is expected to hit 11 million 11 point 1 million 13 point 2 million by 2040 15 point 2 million by 2048 which will be Israel's 100th anniversary good news good news the Jews are alive and well and kicking and growing and thriving here in Israel forty five percent of the global Jewish population lives in Israel let's get that number up to fifty Israel right now has the most Jews living here right now in other words the highest number the actual number of Jews based on per country Israel's number one but if you add up all the other countries together they make up about 55 percent of the world Jewish community Israel at forty five percent let's get that number up to more than 50 and let's see what happens many other things going on now here in Israel and of course Corona on our minds Memorial Day Independence Day all that taking place simultaneously and as I as I said before there it really is nothing like it in the world commemorating yamazaki on Memorial Day and then moving on to Independence Day this year like never before celebrating at home nonetheless to everyone out there listening to the show may you have a meaningful Yama's e car on Memorial Day where we remember all of those who gave their lives so that we could be here as a free people as a free Jewish nation in our homeland and then of course wishing everyone a joyous yo mots mo at home celebrate at home get out the barbecue get some beers out have a great time celebrating 72 years to the modern state of israel let's not forget how far back we go 3,000 plus years I want to give a shout-out to Benjamin brettski for all the work he does behind the scenes as well as Tabitha Epstein my name is Josh Hayes didn't get in touch with me during the week Josh at the Land of Israel comm on Facebook Joshua Houston or my page Josh hastened Israel advocacy and journalism on Twitter at Josh Hayes than in on Instagram as well most importantly now more than ever everyone out there in the wonderful world of ours be safe Shalom Shalom from the hills of Judea have a great week everybody [Music] this is Eve Harrow for the Land of Israel Network you can start every week with me hearing views and interviews with fascinating people some well-known others homegrown about places i guide ideas I have to get you thinking - it's about the land it's about my people it's about our collective journey rejuvenation with Eve Harrow Sunday's on the land of Israel