IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz
Photo: Ofer Amram
Former IDF Personal Director Elazar Stern
Photo: Yaron Brener
Berl Katznelson. What would he say?
Photo: GPO
Gantz: No change to Yizkor prayer
IDF Chief claims he made no decision on controversial phrasing of remembrance prayer, but says official 1967 version contains 'God remembers'
IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz
said Monday he did not order a unified version of the Yizkor (remembrance) Prayer at military memorial ceremonies. The statement followed a report suggesting such an order was given, which prompted a torrent of mixed responses.
Several bereaved parents were angered by Gantz's decision to support the opening sentence of "God remembers his sons and daughters" instead of the current "Israel remembers its sons and daughters".
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Honoring Fallen?
Aviel Magnezi
IDF chief of staff's decision to unify prayer for fallen soldiers causes furor with some saying it forces public to 'accept religious philosophy'
A father of a soldier killed in Lebanon told Ynet that "the public must not be forced to accept the religious philosophy". While others believed that the wording was "appropriate".
Gantz noted he had not made any new decisions on the subject, but added that according to IDF General Staff orders from 1967, the official version of the Yizkor Prayer contains the phrase "God remembers."
The IDF chief clarified that he had never discussed the issue, saying it only came up as part of his response to questions posed by Yedioth Ahronoth reporter Nahum Barnea.
IDF officials defended Gantz, claiming he was being wrongfully accused when he had not changed anything. Despite the official version of the prayer, it is known among military ranks that IDF units "tweak" the payer into a version of their own.
Meanwhile, petitions have been formed calling Gantz not to change the Yizkor Prayer phrasing.
Former IDF Personnel Directorate Chief Elazar Stern voiced his support of the original prayer version, written by influential intellectual Berl Katznelson in 1920, phrased as 'Israel remembers.'
"I'm not sure the people of Israel remember the soldiers, so we must demand that they do," said Stern. "On every Memorial Day we also say the traditional funeral prayer, which I believe unifies the fallen with god. It seems to me that the phrasing of 'Israel remembers' makes it so the people of Israel remember as well and god."
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