Opening: Israel is preparing for its national holidays – Memorial Day and Independence Day – while enmeshed in a war whose end is not yet in sight. Many have lost their lives, and many more have been injured in body or soul. This is the high price we pay for Jewish sovereignty. May we work toward a better reality, one worthy of this sacrifice. We will grieve with aching hearts for our fallen, and then we will celebrate our independence with gratitude – responsible for our own destiny.