Dear friends,
“Vehi She’amda la’avoteinu v’lanu — that which has stood for our ancestors and for us:
For in every generation there are those who rise against us to destroy us, and the Holy One, blessed be He, delivers us from their hands.”
As we emerge from Passover, these words take on renewed meaning, reminding us that the Jewish story has always woven together hardship and hope, and that our strength lies in our ability to endure, together.
As we approach Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, we pause to mourn and to come together in shared remembrance. This year, as Israel, alongside its closest ally, the United States, faces an ongoing war with Iran, and as Jewish communities worldwide confront rising antisemitism, a deep sense of vulnerability is felt across our global community.
Through the “Remembering Together” initiative, we channel that shared experience into collective commemoration, by offering names, stories, and meaningful resources, including ceremonies, prayers, texts, and visual materials, for communities around the world to use and share. In doing so, we help create a unifying space for remembrance across borders.
Yom HaZikaron is, at its core, a call to unity - a reminder that beyond geography or citizenship, we are bound by shared memory and a common destiny. In honoring those we have lost, we renew our responsibility to one another and our commitment to carry their legacy forward.
In these painful and complex times, we hold onto hope: for quieter days, for continued solidarity and stronger connection to our Jewish identity, and for the strength to move forward together.
May the memory of the fallen be a blessing, and may it deepen the bonds that unite us as one people.
With respect and solidarity,
Yaakov Hagoel
Chairman, World Zionist Organization
Shira Ruderman
Executive Director, The Ruderman Family Foundation
