Israeli Council To Recommend Memorial Day Reading Omit "God"

Haaretz reports today that in Israel, the Public Council for Soldiers' Commemoration will recommend to Defense Minister Ehud Barak that in Memorial Day ceremonies at military cemeteries the service use a remembrance reading that does not mention God. For many years, ceremonies often used a reading written in the 1920's by Labor Zionist leader Berl Katznelson. Modeled on the traditional Yizkor prayer in remembrance of the dead, Katznelson's version began with the words "Yizkor Am Yisrael" ("May the nation of Israel remember").  After the Six Day War, IDF Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren changed the verse to read:  "Yizkor Elohim" ("May God remember").  Last year a secular mother of a fallen soldier objected to the version mentioning God, and a public debate followed. (See prior posting.) In this year's ceremonies, the reading was omitted entirely because of the dispute. Many families have complained about that. Under the new recommendation, the original version will officially be part of future ceremonies.