When Israel declared its independence in 1948, a Druze named Ismail was a member of the Syrian army. He fought against the Jewish state because he had heard that Jews were mistreating the Druze in the Galilee.
However, he learned that his information about that was wrong. He ended up joining the Israel Defense Force and was decorated for bravery in action.
Today, his grandson, who is named after him, is the first Druze to become a navigator in the Israeli air force. He also served as head of coordination between ground and air forces, and is now working on a degree in engineering.
This grandson (IDF rules prohibit publicizing his rank or last name) will be the featured speaker at the Milwaukee Jewish community’s ceremony marking Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, on Wednesday, April 25, 6 p.m.
This and all other “Milwaukee Stands With Israel” activities will be held at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center at the Karl Campus in Whitefish Bay, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd.
According to Yonatan Zvi, chair of the 2012 “Milwaukee Stands With Israel” events, the theme of the Yom HaZikaron ceremony will be to honor Israel’s non-Jewish citizens and the Diaspora Jews who serve and have served in the IDF.
The thousands of non-Jewish Israelis involved here include Druze — an Arabic-speaking, monotheistic but non-Muslim religious/ethnic group that numbers more than 100,000 in Israel — Bedouins, Circassians, and Samaritans, among others.
“Some do it because they feel Israel is their country; some maybe for financial reasons,” said Zvi. “The bottom line is they are doing it,” and sometimes they meet hostility from friends, family members, their community members for doing it.
Zvi said that Ophir Ben-Yitschak, co-chair with Rena Safer of the Yom HaAtzma’ut (Israel Independence Day) event, suggested this year’s Yom HaZikaron theme.
When they tried to decide whom to invite to be guest speaker, Ro’ee Peled, Milwaukee’s co-emissary from Israel and Israel Center co-director with his wife Michal Makov-Peled, said he knew someone who is serving with Ismail.
“When we spoke with [Ismail], he was such a gentleman and a fine guy to speak with, we knew we had the right match here,” said Zvi.
Yom HaZikaron is the first of the events planned for “Milwaukee Stands With Israel.” The Yom HaAtzma’ut event is scheduled for Sunday, April 29, and will comprise two parts.
First will be a Walk for Israel through areas near the Karl Jewish Community Campus, slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.
Second will be the actual celebration, which will begin at 3:30 p.m. and last until 7 p.m. A special feature here will be chef Yaniv Sheinbein, who, said Zvi, “is going to cook the real deal” — authentic Israeli cuisine.
Providing the musical portion of the celebration will be singers from the IDF entertainment corps. Zvi described them as “a singing group of four soldiers, who will be doing all kinds of songs from history and more contemporary songs.”
There will be additional activities for children under age 8 from 3:30-5:30 p.m., and for older children from 5-6 p.m.
Elaine and Bill Appel are the honorary chairs of “Milwaukee Stands With Israel.” Co-chairs of the Yom HaZikaron event are Monica Arnstein and Suzanne Weinstein. Randi and Danny Arnstein, and Mijal and Noach Jubelirer are co-chairs of the Walk for Israel.
“Milwaukee Stands With Israel” is organized by the Israel Center of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and the JCC.
For additional information, contact Peled, 414-390-5705 or roeep@milwaukeejewish.org; or JCC community services director Dorene Paley, 414-967-8217 or dpaley@jccmilwaukee.org.
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