Trumpeldor (Nothing to do with Trump or Dumbledore)
A massive lion overlooks the valley. Behind him sits the camp, four walls and lush green spirals ascending towards heaven. On the other side of the walls it is flat and empty. Empty except for the memorial outside, next to the road. This road leads down in two directions. On one side it leads to a small security building, on the other to the valley on the other side of the peak.
We park next to the walls. Upon exiting the car Ohad walks around a bit, I go straight to the trunk and grab a mattress. We have been here before in daylight and the sun returns in a few short hours, with it the imperative to step forward. The sooner we get to sleep the better, we have just driven north for almost 3 hours, and plan on walking from the rising of the sun until midday. Then we will drive back south.
The thin mattress softens the ground. Wrapped up warmly in my sleeping bag, I feel the cool air on my face as I fall asleep gazing at the start above Tel Chai.
In the morning I wake him up with a toy dinosaur I find in the trunk, and send a video of it on the family Whatsapp. We start with coffee, then face south and pray toward Jerusalem. Time to wash the pakal and refill the water. The faucet is by the diagonal corner of the four walls. We walk around past the lion as he continues to gaze over the edge.. There are openings to walk through the walls, but we choose to walk around.
Inside the walls rest Jews who died for the State of Israel. Jews that deserve to be remembered. They were all defenders of our country, but one stands out. A man who would give both arms for his motherland and his life for the promised land.
Joseph Trumpeldor volunteered for the Russian army in 1902. During the Siege of Port Arthur he was hit by shrapnel. He survived, but lost his left arm. After 100 days recovering in the hospital he returned to complete his service. When asked why he was returning to service without and arm he responded.
“But I still have another arm to give to the motherland.”
After his return to combat he was captured by the Japanese. During his time in captivity he organized classes and printed a Jewish Newspaper. And he dreamed.
Dreamed of founding a kibbutz in the promised land. He met other Jews who shared his dream.
The war ended and he was released. Due to his courage in battle he was heavily decorated by the Russian Army and in 1906 he became the first Jew to receive an officers commission. He studied law, found Jews who shared his vision and moved with a group of them to Israel in 1911. He worked for a time at Kibbutz Degania.
But he was not settled in the promised land. The outbreak of World War I forced him to Egypt where he and a friend, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, developed the idea of a Jewish legion. They founded the Zion Mule Corps in 1915. The first all Jewish military unit in close to 2,000 years.
They fought in the War, and in the battle of Gallipoli he was wounded once again. This time in the shoulder.
He returned to Russia. And organized a branch of HeHalutz in Russia. David Ben Gurion was the head of the branch in America. HeHalutz or “pioneer” was a large organization preparing young Jews for agriculture in the land of Israel, and helping them get here. Eventually Trumpeldor was himself called back to the promised land.
In 1919 he found himself leading a group of reinforcements to Tel Chai. The children of the area had been evacuated and a young man was recently murdered. Trumpeldor, and his men, took control of the area.
But the area was disputed, and the Jews were surrounded. More men died. He sent for reinforcements.
“Armed gangs are multiplying in the area, and they are drunk with the spirit of victory. You must hurry, or it will be too late.”
But before help could come a cry went out.
“They’ve attacked Tel Chai!”
11 men were killed. Trumpeldor lived, but he was wounded, for the last time. Shot in the hand and stomach he died while being evacuated.
The Jews were forced to retreat. They buried their dead in the ground that was promised, but were forced to abandon.
Trumpdelor was buried among them in a communal grave with his comrades. The graves were abandoned during the retreat.
But the Jews returned 1 year later. Even if it had taken 2,000 years we would have returned.
He died a legend. The lion stands, until this day because he fell. Because others fell and fall.
The legend goes that the last words to go forth from his lips were
“Never mind, it is good to die for our country”
We return to the car, on the way I stop. I read about the other memorial that stands on the same spot. On August 6, 2006 during the second Lebanon war 12 paratroopers were standing near his grave. A rocket, fired by Hezbollah, hit the Promised Land and suddenly ended their lives.
When you are on a journey it is important to keep moving. And it is important to stop. To remember and to learn. But you must stay in the present.
And the present is always moving forward, step by step, moment by moment, day by day.
Every step, like every person, is a world in itself. And all the worlds are connected. We are connected to those who fell in the past.
Because they kept moving, and kept fighting we are able to live. And with living comes the responsibility to keep moving and keep fighting for those that will come after us.
Which will link us to those who are to come.
We walk down our path, the same path he walked up and continue our journey.
In the afternoon as we are tremping back to our vehicle. We are driven back up the mountain.
A Jew we have never met before has given us a ride. A Jew living in the State of Israel.
Living the Promise, day by day. Moment by moment, step by step.
In the Galilee, in Tel-Chai, Trumpeldor fell, for our people, for our country, the hero Joseph fell, over hills and mountains he ran, to save the name of Tel-Chai, saying to the comrades there: “Follow in my footsteps”.
Yom HaZikaron 5780
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