OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE

They came in hundreds, not because they knew the boy Omri Tal, my son-in-law's nephew, but because he came from their town Yehud and had died fighting in Gaza.  

I have never been to a military funeral before and watched in amazement as people streamed in from every direction, quietly directed by the army.

In an almost surrealistic way as we walked into the cemetery, the Iron Dome was intercepting rockets almost above our heads, rather like a fanfare introducing an event. People barely glanced up, and walked on.

We, the family, sat near the grave, which was surrounded by six officers standing straight and tall, not moving throughout the ceremony. A young soldier was distributing bottles of water first to the guard of honor and any others soldiers standing there, then to us too.

People spoke, they were led gently to the microphone. Dignity comes to mind as I think back, everything was handled with dignity, with enormous efficiency and consideration by an army, which sadly has much experience in these events.

My daughter, who thinks of these things, texted the well-known singer David Broza (he is family) that Omri and his girlfriend wanted David's song, "Under the Sky" to be played as they walked down the aisle at their wedding. David texted back from in a plane due to land shortly in Israel, that he would be too late to come to the funeral. A friend of Omri's would sing the song, but then, by some ' divine interference ' and a little bit of luck, the plane landed early and with help from the local police, David Broza was there in time to sing, quite beautifully, his song.