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Remembering the Meron Tragedy

“Let us Join Together

Sivan
for Happy Times” Rahav-Meir

i Sivan, my name is Yakir.
I run a photography
business together with
“Hmy partner Meor. After
the Meron tragedy, we felt that we had
to do something. And so we went, in our
jeans and t-shirts, to visit the Engelard
family, a Chassidic family that lost two
sons in the tragedy, their 14-year-old son
Moshe, and their 9-year-old son Yehoshua.
We met the father, Rabbi Yitzchak, who
was very moved that we came, and said
that we had given him strength. When
we left, he said that “Am Yisrael should not
get together only in times of tragedy, but
also for s’machot (happy occasions).” These
beautiful words stayed with me.
This week, months after that visit, I
received a surprising message. The
Engelard family, b’sha’ah tovah, had a baby
boy. Rabbi Yitzchak contacted me and
invited me to come and to be with them
for happy occasions too, to join them for
the brit of their son, who brought new life My dear Yakir and Meor,
and comfort to the family. The last time Seven months ago we met under very difficult and painful
we met, they were sitting on mourners’
chairs. This time we met and hugged, we circumstances. I was moved then by the beauty of Am Yisrael,
danced and sang together. And may his and I realized then that no power in the world can separate
name be called among Israel: Yosef Naftali. brothers.
As we left I said to Rabbi Yitzchak that Precisely then, amidst the pain and darkness, the special
now it is my turn to invite him to s’machot, connection between us was revealed, when you transcended
and he agreed. I am attaching a picture yourselves, put aside all of your other considerations and
taken at the brit, as well as the invitation made the effort to come and comfort us and to join in our
to the brit, which for me was not only a brit sorrow, all because of your sense of responsibility and love
milah, but also a reminder of the brit, the
covenant, between us.” of Israel.
Sivan Rahav-Meir is a media personality and We promised at that moment to continue this mutual love
lecturer. She lives in Jerusalem with her husband, also, and especially, in times of joy.
Yedidya, and their five children, and serves as
World Mizrachi’s Scholar-in-Residence. She is Thank G-d, I am happy to tell you that we had a baby boy,
a primetime anchor on Channel 2 News, has and I am honored to invite you to the brit. A member of
a column in Israel’s largest newspaper, Yediot Yitzchak Engelard the Mizrachi
Acharonot, and has a weekly radio show on Galei Speakers Bureau
Tzahal (Army Radio).
mizrachi.org/
speakers

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