Hopeful night for leftists
Op-ed: Masses who attended Rabin rally should encourage any potential leftist leader
Based on the number of people who poured into Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square Saturday night at least, organizers of the rally in memory of the slain prime minister should make a note to themselves: Perhaps it is not a good idea to put an end to these ceremonies, and instead return to the Square next year, and the following year, and so on and so forth.
Tens of thousands of Israelis arrived at the rally Saturday night, and the question that emerged from the crowded square was as follows: Did these tens of thousands of people arrive in order to remember and remind others of a prime minister and defense minister who was killed on the job?
Or rather, did the very difficult diplomatic situation faced by the State of Israel at this time, along with yet another missed opportunity expected in the peace process with the Palestinians, prompt the people to head to the Square Saturday night to cry together, remember together, long together, and together aspire for better days to come?
If this annual event is the bond that brings together the leftist camp in Israel, then the number of people who arrived last night must encourage any potential leftist leader: He or she have someone to count on.
New generation of youngsters
The speeches delivered at the rally were mostly lengthy and aggressive. One speech was especially prominent: The one delivered by Rabin’s grandson, Yonatan Ben-Artzi. Using simple words, in the most direct and blatant manner, he fired his messages directly into the hearts of those in attendance: Get out there, roll up your sleeves, and bring peace with your very own hands. Don’t wait for anyone else to do it for you. You should do it yourselves, the people at the square and the many others at home.
Yonatan read his speech from his notes, but he spoke from his heart.
Fifteen years have passed since that terrible night. The youths that lit the candles have become by now the mothers and fathers of a new generation of youngsters who do not know Rabin. Or maybe they do know about him, just like we knew and learned about Bar Kochba and Judea the Maccabi.
Meanwhile, the tears in our eyes have dried up by now, but the memories, oh, the memories and the longing are still here.
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