Freedom has never been free
As we mark this Yom Hazikaron, we are reminded that no silver platter was ever offered to the Jewish people.
On Yom Hazikaron, Israel commemorates the lives of fallen soldiers and victims of terror – those who sacrificed everything from the earliest days of Zionism to today’s conflicts.
A powerful poem often recited during Yom Hazikaron memorials is Natan Alterman’s Silver Platter, inspired by Chaim Weizmann’s quote: “A state is not handed to a people on a silver platter.” Alterman’s poem captures the painful truth that our freedom has comes at a tremendous human cost.
Written in December 1947, just before the establishment of the state, the poem is not a tribute to past sacrifice but a warning of what lies ahead. It doesn’t glorify the fallen; it mourns the price that would be paid. Alterman’s imagery of a young boy and girl, dressed for both labour and war, symbolises a generation that would bear the weight of defending and building Israel. Tired yet resolute, these figures embody the profound duality of Israeli life: nation-building and survival.
Traditionally, the Talmud teaches that a synagogue should be built on the highest point in a city. Yet in Jerusalem, the holiest of cities, it is not a synagogue but Mount Herzl’s military cemetery that occupies the highest hill. This resting place for thousands of soldiers reflects the spiritual elevation of their sacrifice. It is a place, not of despair, but of national honour, respect and gratitude.
Among those buried at Mount Herzl is Lieutenant Alex Singer, a fellow soldier from my service in the Givati Brigade. Alex was killed in Lebanon in 1987 on his 25th birthday, while running through enemy fire with the unit medic in an attempted rescue of his commanding officer.
Alex, a chayal boded, a “lone soldier”, made aliyah and volunteered for a combat unit after graduating summa cum laude from Cornell University. He then pushed himself further by joining the IDF’s rigorous officer training program.
He was an all-American boy with a huge smile, broad shoulders and a twinkle in his eye. Not only was he an outstanding student, he was also a gifted artist. Even in the most unlikely places, he would be carrying his watercolour palette and sketchbook, as well as his diary and reading material. He was trilingual, speaking Hebrew, English and Arabic.
He made the unusual decision to perfect his Arabic by backpacking alone around Jordan prior to his enlistment into the IDF. His artwork was so exceptional, that posthumously, it was featured in a solo exhibition at the Israel Museum.
After his death, instead of erecting yet another memorial monument, Alex’s family chose to publish his writings and artwork in a book titled Alex: Building A Life. The book is a compilation of thoughts which captures the inner life of a young man who lived with purpose, passion and integrity. The chosen title was inspired by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s powerful call: “Remember that there is meaning beyond absurdity … that every deed counts … that you must build your life as if it were a work of art.” Alex lived that way. He wrote poetry, painted and reflected deeply on the kind of leader he aspired to be.
Despite the terrible pain of his loss, Alex’s life was a source of inspiration to me. In the aftermath of the October 7 massacres, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, I along with hundreds of thousands of reservists dropped everything to defend our country. Once again, the people of Israel demonstrated their extraordinary resilience, courage and selflessness. Once again, we demonstrated that when we come together, we are unbeatable.
As we mark this Yom Hazikaron, we are reminded that no silver platter was ever offered to the Jewish people. The State of Israel exists because, and only because, of those who gave everything. Their memory is not just sacred, it is the foundation upon which the present stands and the future depends. Freedom has never been free and its price continues to be tragically high. May their sacrifice be forever honoured and remembered.
Tuvia Book is an IDF reservist currently serving on the Gaza front.
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