On a Personal Note

Just like with every other day of this "war," as I am sure most people in Israel do, looking at the lists of people killed, as they are released for publication. Looking to see the names, and faces, the young ages, where they are from, checking to see if you know them or not. Until you come across a familiar name or face. This is some thing that is common with all the people living here.

Yesterday it hit me as well! I got a call from my sister while I was at work. She of course ask if I had heard the news. Then she went and told me that one of the 15 soldiers that was killed 2 days ago Is Ben Selah from Koranit. I went to school with Ben, we learned in the same year, although I didn't know him well, it still hit me really hard. I mean, I know this guy.... I have known him from first grade. I used to see him every day in school. A good friend of mine from Eshchar who was in the same class as he was, rushed back from Tel-Aviv to go to his funeral. There is a feeling, that I can't really put into words, when you have a certain personal connection to someone, when that face in the newspaper is just a glimpse into what you really know about a person.
יהי זכרו ברוך


Soldiers carry the coffin of their comrade Ben Sela covered by an Israeli national flag during his funeral in the city of Misgav, northern Israel, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006.

Ben Sela was killed during fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon Wednesday.






Below: Family members and friends mourn at the funeral of Israeli soldier Ben Sela in the northwestern Israeli town of Misgav, August 10, 2006.

Sela was one of 15 Israeli troops killed in fighting in Lebanon on Wednesday.






Below: A man mourns at the funeral of Israeli soldier Ben Sela