Saturday night thousands attended a memorial rally near the site of last week's murderous terror attack. The rally was held in the new "Giborie Hebron" - "Heroes of Hebron" neighborhood, which will connect Hebron to Kiryat Arba.
Among those speaking were Rabbis Moshe Levinger, Dov Lior, Moshe Bleicher and Eliezer Waldman, as well as Kiryat Arba Mayor Tzvi Katzover and MK Yuri Stern.
********** Pictures at: www.hebron.org.il/news.htm ***********
Two of last Friday's widows also spoke. Mrs. Rivka Duchan, wife of Alex Duchan, who was killed during the battle, wrote a letter which was read during the memorial. Alex Duchan was a member of the Kiryat Arba emergency security squad and father of four.
Mrs. Rivka Buanish, wife of Ya'akov Buanish, chief security officer for Kiryat Arba, father of seven, also spoke.
The following are translations of their remarks. (The original Hebrew can be seen at: http://www.hebron.co.il//ateret/articalls/boanish.html and http://www.hebron.co.il/ateret/articalls/dochan.html)
Rivka Buanish – Sat night, Nov. 23, 2002
Yitzhak, Dror, Alex Yonaton, and Alex Tzvitman,
You did not choose to be heroes. First of all you were good husbands, fathers to your families, sons, brothers.
You did not choose to be heroes, but you knew that this was the order of the day.
Yitzhak, when you entered the alleyway, you knew that you were going to correct what had happened at Kever Yosef, at Joseph’s tomb, which so pained you. “How is it possible that soldiers are wounded and killed and it is impossible to evacuate them. It’s not possible!” And that’s what you did. When all the army couldn’t do it, you took your soldiers with you, together with Israeli soldiers who were able to do it, and you did it, you avenged the sin of Kever Yosef.
Here in Hebron, we avenged Kever Yosef.
You didn’t choose to be heroes, but you did it. You left us a legacy, and we will follow it, with pain, but with strength. This too, we did not choose, but we will do it.
You told me two weeks ago, when we returned from Ma’arat HaMachpela, “This is where the troubles will start,” because you always knew, you so felt here what was going to occur, everything so strongly throbbed in your heart, you were able to know when and what would happen.
You planned, here with Dror, a promenade. We will fulfill your legacy, and we will establish here, not only a promenade, but also a large neighborhood, a neighborhood connecting Kiryat Arba and Hebron, for from Hebron the truth will emerge, from Hebron the salvation to all of Am Yisrael.
Twelve were killed here, 12 Shivtei Yisrael – the 12 tribes of Israel, for all of Am Yisrael. You fought, not only for Kiryat Arba and Hebron, but for all of Am Yisrael.
We will be strong, and we will build here, together with everyone, all of us will unite together, Hebron comes from the word to join together, we will all join, the government, the army, the residents here, all of us brothers, and all of us together will do it.
May we be comforted in the building of Hebron.
Rivka Duchan – Sat night, Nov. 23, 2002
Alexander Yonaton, my dear husband,
I want to tell you that I draw my strength from you, from our dear children, and from all that we learned together all the good years I was privileged to be your wife.
Alexander Yonaton, you fell for the defense of your country, but I did not fall – I am here, very strong, marching forward with our children, and as I believe, “in the beginning G-d created that heavens and the earth,” I fully believe in the coming of Mashiach and in revival of the dead.
Alexander Yonaton, what can I tell you? “HAPPY IS the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the L-RD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf doth not wither; and in whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper.”
Alexander Yonaton, a soldier in the army of the L-rd, a Jew of Israel.
Alexander Yonaton, my husband, and father of my children, so loving, and so loved.
And now, that you are beneath the holy throne, tell the Creator of the world to hear our cry, and to redeem us with a strong and steady arm.
Am Yisrael, I love you so much, and Alexander Yonaton loved you so much, whether you are in Eretz Yisrael or outside of Eretz Yisrael.
I want to tell my people, Am Yisrael, “Shema Yisrael, HaShem Elokenu, HaShem Echad.” “Hear oh Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One.”
Stand and cry out to our Father in heaven.
May it be Thy will, G-d our Father and G-d of our fathers, that you will have mercy on us, on our children, and our infants, on the people in Zion and the holy land, on the sanctity of Am Yisrael, on the sanctity of the land, and the entirety and security of the people and the land, especially during this time of great danger facing us in the holy land.
Master of the Universe, do for Your sake, not for our sake, for Your Great and Awesome Name, that should not be desecrated by the nations of the world, and save us.
And all those who think evil about your people Israel, breach their counsel and spoil their thoughts.
And the verse should be fulfilled, “Terror and dread falleth upon them; by the greatness of Thine arm they are as still as a stone;”
And fulfill the verse, “Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou shalt rejoice in the L-RD, thou shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel”.
And we shall lift up our eyes in your return to Zion with mercy,
Amen, may it be Thy will.
