Page 6 - Issue 32

Yitzhak Rabin – Memory & Accountability

October 18 (Yud-Bet B’Cheshvan) is the
Memorial Day of the Assassination of
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. 26
years ago, Rabin was shot and killed at a
peace rally in Tel Aviv by a Jewish Israeli
who was fueled by violent incitement.

In the movement we tell the story of Rabin’s life and murder
in a process called cheshbon - accountability - v’zikaron -
and memory. We remember to honor and commemorate
the life of an important Zionist leader and so we don’t forget
the brutal, undemocratic incitement conducted against him.
We remember to hold ourselves accountable as people who
educate towards a just, democratic Israeli society - we
cannot let something like this happen again.

Suggestions for ways to educate through cheshbon
v’zikaron in the youth movement:

• Younger chanichimot - Go through Rabin’s life story,
learning about him and Zionism in general through
major dilemmas he faced. Here’s a peula with this!
• Older chanichimot - Use the story of Rabin’s murder
as the backdrop for why we need democratic ways of
disagreeing with each other. Here’s a peula from
Pardes Institute about Jewish ways of disagreeing
and dealing with conflict!
• Bogrimot/Maapilimot - Screen the movie
“Incitement” (on Amazon Video), which tells the story
of the man who assassinated Rabin and raises a lot
of interesting questions about where to draw the line
when you disagree with your leaders’ political
direction.