IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz
Photo courtesy of the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
Gantz: Committee to determine Yizkor version
IDF chief wants special panel to decided on unified version of remembrance prayer
The controversy surrounding the Yizkor (remembrance) Prayer version used at military memorial ceremonies refuses to subside: IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz has decided to name a special committee to review and decide on the prayer's wording.
It was recently reported that Gantz ordered the wording to be revised to "God remembers his sons and daughters" instead of the current "Israel remembers its sons and daughters," sparking a torrent of enraged responses by bereaved families.
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The IDF chief denied giving such an order, but according to a Wednesday report in Yedioth Ahronoth, the furor has prompted him to name a special committee to decide on the matter.
The committee is likely to include representatives from the Military Rabbinate and IDF Personnel Directorate, as well as several civilian delegates from various interest groups.
Eli Ben-Shem, director of the Yad Lebanim memorial organization, told the newspaper he expects the military to include his organization in the committee.
One of the solutions suggested to far – meant to appease supporters of either version – is to combine the two into "God and Israel remember their sons and daughters."
Due to the sensitive nature of the decision, representatives of the bereaved families have already voiced a demand for the final decision to be sanctioned by the Defense Ministry.
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