NATIONAL CEMETERY - PHOENIX, ARIZONA
I have always found it strange to wish someone a Happy Memorial Day. I can never bring myself to say those words. Yes, we all look forward to the first long weekend that marks the beginning of summer (albeit a few weeks shy of the actual summer solstice). When I lived in New York, Memorial Day marked the beginning of the planting season, though here in Arizona it's a little late to start planting! It also marked the date you could start wearing summer white... again, Arizona folks know that we start that much earlier, too. For many folks, Memorial Day means the first barbecue of the season... picnics, trips to the lake, lots of beer and chips. Yes, all of those things make Memorial Day weekend a fun time. But, I sincerely believe that we need to remember the real meaning of Memorial Day.
I am greatly impressed by the way Israel honors its fallen heroes. On Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli Memorial Day, a siren is sounded twice throughout the country during a 24 hour time period, from sunset to sunset. The first siren marks the beginning of Memorial Day at 8:00 p.m. and the second is sounded at 11:00 a.m, before prayers are recited at all military cemeteries. When the siren is sounded, the entire nation observes a two-minute standstill of all traffic and daily activities. For the entire day, all places of public entertainment are closed and all radio and television stations play music appropriate to the mood of the day and broadcast programs honoring fallen soldiers.
Enjoy your holiday weekend, but please take some time to honor the memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to give us the freedoms we cherish.
Thanks to all our Veterans for your service to our country!
Warmest regards,
Pook
I am greatly impressed by the way Israel honors its fallen heroes. On Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli Memorial Day, a siren is sounded twice throughout the country during a 24 hour time period, from sunset to sunset. The first siren marks the beginning of Memorial Day at 8:00 p.m. and the second is sounded at 11:00 a.m, before prayers are recited at all military cemeteries. When the siren is sounded, the entire nation observes a two-minute standstill of all traffic and daily activities. For the entire day, all places of public entertainment are closed and all radio and television stations play music appropriate to the mood of the day and broadcast programs honoring fallen soldiers.
Enjoy your holiday weekend, but please take some time to honor the memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to give us the freedoms we cherish.
Thanks to all our Veterans for your service to our country!
Warmest regards,
Pook
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