2008 Woodie Awards
Students Remember the Fallen at Beren Yom Hazikaron Ceremony
Liatte Tsarfati
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: Israel
On Tuesday evening, May 6, over 250 Yeshiva University students, staff, faculty, and guests gathered in Koch Auditorium for the second annual Yom Hazikaron event, organized by Nina Bursky-Tammam (SCW '08) and Simeon Botwinick (YC '09).
Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated students and administrators ensured that this year's Yom Hazikaron would be a success. Sefi Lerner (SCW '08), Mati Eizenshtein (YC '11), Nava Billet (SCW '09), and Deans Beth Hait and Zelda Braun, from Student Affairs, dedicated much time and effort.
The program opened with a candle-lighting ceremony, commemorating the fallen soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and victims of terror. The memory of the masses was honored by focusing on two individuals: Noam Mayerson and Roi Klein, z"l, both of whom were killed in the second Lebanon war in 2006.
Bursky-Tammam, the first speaker, shared her thoughts regarding the significance of Yom Hazikaron. Following these introductory words, Nava Billet, provided a personal account of her friend Noam Mayerson. Billet and Mayerson were tour guides together at El Artzi, a field school in Eilat.
Billet described Mayerson as "intelligent, passionate about Torah, truth, kindness and friendship," and as someone who "loved his family, the land of Israel, and the educational goals he dreamt of fulfilling." Mayerson, a tank commander, was called up during the mobilization for the second Lebanon war. The Shabbat before he was killed, he gave a pep talk to his comrades. Billet explained that he encouraged them with the words of Maimonides in Law of Kings, stating that "[the soldier] is prohibited from thinking of his wife and children because they serve as a distraction from the goal in war: to defend the nation." He was killed, alongside Yotam Lotan, on a mission near the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon. "Yom Hazikaron is for remembering," Billet concluded, blessing the memory of the fallen.
Katy Mayerson, Noam's first cousin, was invited to share a few words. The 13-year old told the crowded room that she knew nothing could bring Noam back, but she "decided to do something that would keep him smiling in heaven," recalling Noam's ever-present smile. She helped raise funds to rebuild a bomb-blasted children's park in Kiryat Shmonah. The ground-breaking for the Noam Mayerson playground is set for June of this year.
Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated students and administrators ensured that this year's Yom Hazikaron would be a success. Sefi Lerner (SCW '08), Mati Eizenshtein (YC '11), Nava Billet (SCW '09), and Deans Beth Hait and Zelda Braun, from Student Affairs, dedicated much time and effort.
The program opened with a candle-lighting ceremony, commemorating the fallen soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and victims of terror. The memory of the masses was honored by focusing on two individuals: Noam Mayerson and Roi Klein, z"l, both of whom were killed in the second Lebanon war in 2006.
Bursky-Tammam, the first speaker, shared her thoughts regarding the significance of Yom Hazikaron. Following these introductory words, Nava Billet, provided a personal account of her friend Noam Mayerson. Billet and Mayerson were tour guides together at El Artzi, a field school in Eilat.
Billet described Mayerson as "intelligent, passionate about Torah, truth, kindness and friendship," and as someone who "loved his family, the land of Israel, and the educational goals he dreamt of fulfilling." Mayerson, a tank commander, was called up during the mobilization for the second Lebanon war. The Shabbat before he was killed, he gave a pep talk to his comrades. Billet explained that he encouraged them with the words of Maimonides in Law of Kings, stating that "[the soldier] is prohibited from thinking of his wife and children because they serve as a distraction from the goal in war: to defend the nation." He was killed, alongside Yotam Lotan, on a mission near the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon. "Yom Hazikaron is for remembering," Billet concluded, blessing the memory of the fallen.
Katy Mayerson, Noam's first cousin, was invited to share a few words. The 13-year old told the crowded room that she knew nothing could bring Noam back, but she "decided to do something that would keep him smiling in heaven," recalling Noam's ever-present smile. She helped raise funds to rebuild a bomb-blasted children's park in Kiryat Shmonah. The ground-breaking for the Noam Mayerson playground is set for June of this year.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Katy Mayerson
posted 6/25/08 @ 2:43 AM EST
hey thats me!! i was featured in two articles, 1 right before and 1 right after the groundbreaking, which was on june 19. the playground will be up in a few ( 2 to 3) months!! oh, so the other articles are in the Jerusalem Post and in Yediot Aharonot (a popular newspaper in Israel). (Continued…)
Post a Comment