Black Monday

 At 2 o clock this afternoon, I found myself at Har Herzl. This was actually the first (and I hope last) time I was on Har Herzl for a funeral, though I have been there many times on Yom Hazikaron. The funeral was for two angels, taken way before their time. The reason I felt so connected is because Hallel did a similar path as me, in KY8 and then the Navy. He actually had just finished the navy, and was coming up to Yeshiva this week. He came up last week to bring his stuff, get his buksa, get an Aliyah - and now that Buksa will remain the way it is. Because a terrorist decided his car was the one he was going to shoot. And now him and his brother will remaind in their early 20s forever. 

I didn't know him that well truth be told. I knew who he was, I'm sure we nodded at each other, but nothing more meaningful than that. But I can close my eyes and feel his excitement of finally returning to yeshiva. I can close my eyes and see the waves coming from the middle of the see going towards the coastline that he saw. I was planning on going to KY8 Yeshiva this week for a day in the environment, which I will probably do anyway. So I would have seen him, not known he was anything special, maybe nodded and said hello, and continued on with my day. So my heart goes out to their little brother who is now the only boy, the sisters who had role models, the parents/grandparents/friends and everyone else that knew them better than me. But I was proud to stand there today with Am Yisrael to give one last honor to these young men. 

The main thing I will remember is the piercing wails when the coffins came through. They were piercing, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. 

The bad news kept coming this morning when I was told my friend (Faruk) had lost his mother last night. Terrible, terrible news. 

The plan was for me to go to Har Herzl, and then come back to Modi for the second funeral. But on the way, a car in front of me stopped short, and I wasn't as fast (though I did brake and turn hard left which definitely helped. Baruch Hashem, no one was hurt, and its just monetary damage. A day like today sure gives perspective on that. So I didn't make the second funeral, but I tried, and I will go to shiva this week. 

Roughest day in years.