Posted on 09/08/2003 10:33:33 AM PDT by yonif
A memorial ceremony was held yesterday in the Shomron community of Chomesh for Shuli Har-Melekh, who was murdered by Palestinian terrorists ten days ago on his way home. He and his wife Limor, who was wounded in the attack and gave birth to their baby daughter a few hours later - a sister to 1-year-old Ahuvya - moved to Chomesh two years ago when it became clear to them that this was the charge of the hour. Many of the residents had been moving out because of the dangers and difficulties caused by the Oslo War, and the remaining residents decided to turn to young religious couples to take up the slack. The Har-Melekhs answered the call, and Shuli in fact became the Absorption Coordinator of Chomesh. Friends of Shuli say they will continue his campaign to bring more people to Chomesh, "as this is what is needed at this time."
Orot Educational Institute director Yonah Goodman was at the ceremony yesterday, and later recounted: "Over 200 of us were there in Chomesh yesterday for a memorial for Shuli, and his widow Limor also came from the hospital, where she is undergoing treatment and operations for her hand that one of the bullets crushed. At one point, she also spoke. She spoke from her seat, without notes, with her eyes closed - and with a strength that I simply cannot describe. She said that there are some people whom G-d tests with a sick child, and who have to run back and forth to the hospital for treatment and the like; and there are some people who are tested by being wounded in a terrorist attack, with all the physical and emotional ramifications - and then there are others who are also tested not only by being wounded, but also by having their most beloved person, the one who is most important to them, taken from them. She then continued and said, 'Through these torturous difficulties, we turn to G-d and we say Yes - yes to G-d, yes to the Land of Israel, yes to continued settlement and growth and national revival. Then she talked about the terrorists who murdered her husband in front of her eyes, and said, 'You are stupid! Do you really think that you can stop the life of the Nation of Israel?! Yes, you killed Shuli, but five hours later our daughter was born - and we continue to add life. Not just life in the technical sense, but life that is full of meaning and content. From amidst these very difficulties, we will deepen our lives and we will deepen their meaning.'
"Then, with her eyes closed, she said to the audience some things that are so fitting for this month of Elul and for the complex existence we are undergoing at these times. She asked that everyone, in light of the terrible murder, check himself - check and see how much his life is one of truth, ideals, content, dedication, and meaning.
"Then Moshe, Shuli's father, spoke, and asked for one more thing: that we continue to build the Land, and Chomesh, and each person himself: Everyone should try to see where he can increase love within his family and for his neighbors.
"I left Chomesh, with the view of the entire Coastal Plane in front of our eyes, with those sentences echoing in my ears, and with the feeling that this process of teshuvah (return, repentance) to the Land and to ourselves are deeply intertwined, and that we can see them growing and developing in front of our eyes. I left with the feeling that we are capable, with G-d's help, to continue to build ourselves both materially and spiritually, and in all of our missions, both national and personal. Out of this pain we will continue our march towards deep and genuine teshuvah."
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