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Last week I had a strange visit. After fifty years someone in the army decided to open old files of soldiers who were killed in the Yom Kippur War and that's how some of my husband's belongings who was killed in that war came to me. Not much left, three photos, a military driver's license and a reserve order. I often thought to myself how things would be if there were social networks, the Internet, and everything else. There was no television then and telephones were also rare. A landline phone of course. Who thought of an iPhone.
Rumors passed between people and it was very difficult to get real information. When he did not return from the war, I was very, very young with a baby girl, I started looking. Most of the soldiers who were with him in the Suez Canal were killed and the rest were taken prisoner. The newspapers published pictures of groups of prisoners that were in Egypt, the pictures were in black and white and blurry and I tried to identify him. I did not make it.
When the captives began to return from Egypt after a few months, they returned in groups in small planes. I was able to get information on each group that returned and so I stood there by the planes when wounded and very sad people got off, he was not among them. On the way back home I listened to the radio where they read the names of the people who returned that day. I hoped that maybe I didn't see well and he returned anyway.
When the last group arrived and he was not among them I understood.
How different things are today.
Your sad story reminds me of listening to my uncle tell me of similar events further back when the whole world was at war.... again.
ReplyDeleteAll this is part of our life, and who we are.
DeleteEven after 50 years it hurts. So sorry Yael.
ReplyDeleteThank you Eleanor. Nevertheless, I also managed to create a good and happy life here. This is only part of the story, there are good things here too.
DeleteThat is so sad, when hope dies so slowly.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteNever forgotten by those left behind but I wonder why after all this time they do it now.
ReplyDeleteI asked this question too, I have some guesses.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad time for you, Yael. I am glad to hear that you made a good life for yourself, tho. You must be a strong woman.
ReplyDeleteI never thought that I was strong, somehow I continued with the tools I probably had to survive it in the best way.
DeleteIt is possible to make a good life for oneself, against all odds. You were so so young, with a baby girl. Thank you for carrying this message today.
ReplyDeleteFifty years ago the long war in Vietnam was about to come to an end. Some of those who didn't die in the war, never really came home either. So many of us waited for that day that didn't arrive and then had to accept that it wasn't going to come and that we needed to go forward in our lives, sustained by the love that didn't die.
Unfortunately, there are similar stories all over the world.
DeleteYours is a heartbreaking story. Not knowing, always hoping and you were so young. Must have been hard to pick up your life.
ReplyDeleteAnd fifty years later you are finally sure.
You are very strong indeed
I never thought of it in terms of strength or weakness but apparently it is.
ReplyDeleteYour not having been aware that seeing your husband before he left to go to war was the last time you would see him is a sad story shared by far too many of this good earth's people.You have
ReplyDeletedone well despite having had hardships, I hope you feel a well deserved pride
in yourself , God bless you, Mary
Thank you Mary. Yael
ReplyDeleteSo sad, so lonely, such a terrible way to learn your husband is never coming home from a war.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad story, waiting for your husband and being disappointed over and over again, until you know that it is not to happen. But you had your baby daughter and now you have grandchildren so you managed to make a good life for you.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many war widows and orphans all over the world and there will be many more and I really don´t know why.
Hilde in Germany
That sadly must have been a very common story. People of my age here in the UK don't realise how lucky we are not to have been sent away to war. My mother lost brothers, and never knew what had happened to them. Her younger brother was taken prisoner, and was very lucky to return.
ReplyDeleteGreat comment.
Deletewe are indeed very lucky that a few generations have lived in relative peace and prosperity.
My great-grandfather's generation were really tough. I honestly don't think we have their steely grit and fearlessness and idealism.
Wow. what a blog post.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it's very sad, his memory lives on. I suppose it's nice someone is making the effort.
A lot of people (including you) gave so much for the freedom and security of Jews in Israel.
If the soldier is not returned, can you have a funeral and sit shiva etc? Not much comfort, but at least you would be surrounded by loving friends and family.
ReplyDeleteIt varies from case to case. There are families of abducted soldiers who the army has informed them with certainty that they died and then sit Shiva without a funeral. Here recently there have been cases where they found only DNA remains of children in their homes and made a symbolic funeral and of course sat Shiva.
ReplyDelete