Chief of Staff Gen. Mordechai Gur said tonight that the heroism of Jewish resistance fighters against the Nazis inspired the generation that brought into existence the State of Israel. He said Israel now has the military force to defend herself but added that he is not sure she has the spiritual force which is also needed.
Gur spoke to thousands of persons who gathered at Kibbutz Lohamei Hageta which was named after the ghetto fighters, to mark the end of the Memorial Day for the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, Six torches were lit in memory of the six million who perished. The day also commemorated the bravery of the resistance fighters.
The Memorial Day, which was observed throughout the country was ushered in by the sound of air raid sirens. Work stopped, all traffic halted and people stood at attention in the streets. Schools had special lectures on the Holocaust and its meaning. Memorial parades were held at all army camps and memorial candles were lit in synagogues and public buildings.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
