Last year before Pesach (Passover), I was chatting with an Orthodox American friend via the internet. “Do you make only one seder?” she asked.
The question surprised me. I think she was confused because in the US, the Reform observe one day of Yom Tov while Orthodox and Conservative Jews (at least in theory) observe two. (See note below for a more detailed explanation.)
In Israel, practically the only people who observe two days of Yom Tov are tourists or those studying here for the year. And an increasing number observe the second day partially or ignore it completely, with rabbinic approval. I explained to my friend, “Even the Neturei Karta (the most extreme of the Orthodox groups) observe only one day of Yom Tov in Israel.”
My son is serving in a hesder unit, where he combines religious study with army service. Everyone in his unit is religiously observant. But the officers aren’t, which led to an amusing incident.
A large number of his fellow soldiers are American-born. They either made aliyah with their parents, like my son did as a baby, or serve as lone soldiers. When the soldiers were let out the day before the Passover seder, their officer instructed the unit to return to base Tuesday evening after the the first day of Yom Tov. But he gave a permit to the Americans—at least the ones who were obviously immigrants or lone soldiers, as my son wasn’t included—to come back Wednesday evening. The soldiers were mystified but in the army, you don’t ask questions.
The last day of Passover falls on Sunday evening/Monday, and since it is so soon after Shabbat soldiers receive leave for both together (or neither). When the officer released them Friday morning, one of the American soldiers asked whether they would be getting another permit to return a day late, on Tuesday. The officer didn’t understand the question. “You know why you got that permit, don’t you? Yom tov sheini shel galuyot.” *
The soldiers didn’t have the nerve to explain the officer’s mistake. But everyone in that unit, including lone soldiers, celebrated just one Seder and will be eating chametz this Tuesday like the rest of the country. Even the orangutans.
Note: Outside of Israel the days known as Yom Tov include the first two and last two days of the week-long holiday of Passover, two days of Shavuot (Pentecost) the first two days of the week-long holiday of Sukkot (Tabernacles), and two days of Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah (Festival of the Rejoicing of the Torah) immediately following. In Israel we observe only one day of Yom Tov at a time, as described in the Torah. So we have one Passover seder and one day less of Passover and Shavuot. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah observances is combined into one day. Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), also a Yom Tov, is observed for two days by Orthodox Jews everywhere. The reason for the extra days has to do with possible confusion about their correct dates in ancient times.
There are two grades of observance during Pesach and Sukkot: The days of Yom Tov (lit. good day) at the beginning and end of the holiday involve restrictions including driving and operating electrical applicances. The intermediate days (except for Shabbat) are more like weekdays except for a few minor restrictions and the central observance of the holiday (matzah on Pesach and eating in the sukkah on Sukkot).
*The second day of the festival, observed in the diaspora.
Related:
The Number One Reason for Making Aliyah
No, not that soldier’s mother.
Don’t expect much blogging on the subject, but one of my sons is preparing for his mandatory three-year army service.
A commander from my son’s future division came to the house to answer our questions. The commander wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, as pre-army home visits didn’t exist when he enlisted. The program, about a year old, is intended to increase motivation among combat soldiers. We found out where my son would be training, how often he would come home (two weekends out of three, at first) and the different units within the division. I asked what my son should bring with him and he said, “Clothes.”
Another boy from the neighborhood will be in the same unit. When I ran into his mother and mentioned it to her. Ani be-histeria, she said. I’m not. At least not yet. Like it would do me any good.
Harriet Levin, next to a picture of her son (Photo: Orly Zeiler)
Today marks the observance of Yom Hazikaron. Sirens went off last night and will sound again this morning, with memorial services taking place around the country.
Ynet interviewed Harriet Levin, an American whose son Michael was killed in the Second Lebanon War:
“Since his birth, I knew he would come to Israel and enlist in the IDF,” she said. “It was his dream, and every visit to Israel just made it stronger.” During 2001, at the height of the Intifada, he studied in Israel for several months. After witnessing the security situation, he determined not only to enlist, but to go to a combat unit.
Michael Levin followed his dream, enlisted and joined the paratroopers. When the Second Lebanon War broke out, he was visiting family in Philadelphia. He packed his bags and told his family, “I have to go back.”
“After the war, we were told that he was originally assigned to guard in Hebron during the war, but he insisted on joining the fighting, even though the IDF prefers not to send lone soldiers (those with no family in Israel) to the front line,” Harriet said.
Before he left, Michael was resolute in talking to his father about what would happen if he didn’t make it back from the war. He said he wanted to be buried at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl.
When the family took him to the airport, his twin sister, Dara, said she knew at that moment that it would be the last time she would see him.
She missed his last phone call and only heard his voicemail saying, “it’s crazy what’s happening here, it’s just hell. We’ll talk when it’s over.” They never got to.
May Michael’s memory, and the memory of all who have given their lives to defend Israel, be for a blessing.
Hat tip: Hadassah Levy
Check out my post as a guest blogger at Dov Bear.
I received these pictures today along with the Hebrew text below.
For redistribution to all:
Pictures of Israeli soldiers rescuing Palestinians from a tunnel (used for smuggling weapons) in Gaza.
In the most moral army in the world, instead of blowing up the tunnel, they [the soldiers] rescue the one who is trying to kill you.
After smuggling weapons they [the Palestinians] receive:
Medical care, blankets, a cup of tea.
I remind you what the three reserve soldiers received when they went into Ramallah [in Samaria in the West Bank] . . . by mistake!!
That is the difference between us and the Palestinians.
[MiI: There were two. One of them lived several blocks from my home. When his wife got the news she went to stay with a family member living on our street. Even before the victim's name was announced we watched as the reporters gathered in front of the building. The two soldiers had been brutally tortured and murdered.] 
[Haveil Havalim is up at Shiloh Musings.]
My daughter entered ninth grade this year. This year she has “the best teacher and the best class.” She was able to request a number of friends, and they’ll be together for the next four years.
Her school has six grades, each with about eight classes of thirty girls. The six grades are divided into three batim (lit. houses), each with its own building, vice-principal, secretary, advisor, and two teachers who serve as grade-level coordinators.
The school operates several large volunteer projects:
The school is handicapped accessible, has an ethnically heterogeneous population (Jewishly speaking), and boasts the third highest bagrut (matriculation exam) scores in the country, after two secular schools in Haifa. It discourages graduates from enlisting in the army but many still do (my daughter isn’t interested).
When my kids were younger someone told me that I would be happier with the girls’ schools in Israel than the boys’. The girls don’t have the pressure of gemara (Talmud), leaving little time for anything except the bagrut requirements.
[I tried to stay positive all the way through.]
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