Blog # 6, May 15

 

Some time in April there was an article in Haaretz English edition that mentioned the helicopter disaster in February of 1997 when two helicopters carrying Israeli troops collided in midair, killing all 73 personnel on board.

 

That very evening I was sitting with the head of the Air Force, Avihu Ben Nun, at the coffee shop in the Sheraton Hotel.   I had managed a meeting with him to present my cross cultural training program that he could use for the air force.

 

After some time and conversation, he got a phone call on his Pelephone (cell phone)…very rare at the time.

Two helicopters had crashed. 

 

He took me home immediately and I heard about the tragedy later, on the television. 

 

In spite of dealing with this disaster, he did organize that I would work with the education department of the air force.  I had the privilege of making it more understandable for the Israeli guys and the guys from the United States to work together in the same time frame. 

 

When I recounted this event to Rabbi Ayala Samuels, she commented that this was one of the precipitating events that led to the withdrawal from Lebanon.

 

It made me think again of how fragile life is here.  How each family has lost someone who gave a life for the establishment and nurture of Israel.  And how we must all treasure and respect those efforts and do our best.nurture of Israel.  And how we must all treasure and respect those efforts and do our best.