The Sephardic Community Center celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut with a festive and joyous celebration commemorating Israel’s 61st anniversary.
After Arbit, the evening began with a ceremony in honor of Yom Hazikaron. President Jack Cayre greeted the audience. “Yom Ha’Atzmaut is a very important day for our community,” he said. “I would like to thank all of the shuls that sponsored tonight’s event, as a united community. We join in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of Eretz Israel. Their joy is our joy.”
Rabbi Saul Kassin gave a blessing for the US Army and Eretz Israel. He said, “There have been many miracles that cannot be counted, many obstacles to overcome in the 61 years.”
Gaining independence was not so simple. On May 15, 1948, Israel celebrated its statehood. That joy was short lived when the Arab armies from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq declared war on Israel with a simultaneous, coordinated assault and an overwhelming superiority of heavy equipment—armor, artillery and air force. In 1949, Israel not only ejected the invading Arab forces, it also captured and held some 5,000 sq. km. over and above the areas allocated to it by the United Nations.
Rabbi Joseph Dweck said, “We enter Yom Ha’atzmaut on this extremely solemn day, Yom Hazikaron. Sixty-one years ago, noble men proclaimed our independence; we called it Israel. There have been many triumphs, many miracles, many beautiful days, and many sad days to achieving Israel again.”
Joey Salama, who chaired and emceed the event added, “With miracles of biblical proportions, Israel still lives in terror and fights to exist. We remember Israel’s soldiers who lost their lives, and those who gave their lives. Too many Israeli families have lost loved ones—over 22,000. Yom Ha’atzmaut is the day of Jewish honor, pride and self determination,” he said.
Teenagers of the community led a candle lighting ceremony, and Rabbi Ricky Hidary led the prayer of remembrance.
The keynote speaker for the evening was Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who said, “We remember the tragedy of the six million in the Holocaust because they were Jews, but after the tragedy came the Jewish state of Israel. A story of sacrifice, Jewish lives taken, of heroism, of bravery. We remember those who gave their lives for the state of Israel. They sacrificed so there is a Jewish homeland. Those who don’t live by history will live history. Stand up for what we believe in and we will be successful.”
Moe Tawil concisely explained the prayers we say as Sephardic Jews on Yom Ha’atzmaut and Meir Levy sang the Hatikvah, followed by joyous celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut.
The evening could not have been possible without Rabbi Ricky Hidary, Sheila Schweky, Amir Levy and Joseph Salama, along with their committee. The Center would also like to thank Beth Torah, Bnei Yitzhak, Har Halebanon, Ohel David and Shlomo, Sephardic Synagogue, Shaare Shalom, Shaare Zion and the Sephardic Community Center.
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Randi Shomer is a community member, mother of four children and a freelance writer for IMAGE Magazine.
