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Bringing Hadar to the Succah

This beautiful painting was made by Hadar Goldin Z"L. The AMIT school-chain in which he studied has spread it all over Israel as a decoration for the Succah. Rabbi Itamar Heikin, who was Hadar's home room teacher and High School principal, added an explanation to his piece of art:

"The recurring elections, the grating tones on the social networks, the controversies that are not for the sake of heaven, the hatred and abysmal rivalry - all of these cause us tremendous harm. Our hearts beg for something else, beg to bring back again the sense of unity, and there is nothing else like Succot to help us change tracks. But the question is what is the spirit that we wish to emanate from our Succah. The answer depends on each and everyone of us, in our choice of what to bring into our Succah and what kind of spirit to bring forth from it to the world, and to the streets of Israel. I choose the spirit of Hadar. Hadar had a combination of joie de vivre, kind, loving smile, humility and authentic, heart-to-heat talk. All of these attributes broke down fences and created gentle connections. It is precisely in these days that we should bring to our Succah of his 'Pri Etz Hadar' (fruit of a citrus tree; citrus = hadar), a tree that was cut down in his prime. The dove of peace in Hadar's painting is both a reminder and a prayer: a reminder to the role of the Succah as the Succah of peace within us, a Succah that binds us together with all of our 'species', colors and different opinions; it is a reminder that we haven't yet completed the mission. Hadar and Oron, who fell while defending our country, are still held in Gaza and have not yet been brought to a Jewish grave. This is also a prayer to the Creator of the world: 'ופרוס עלינו סוכת שלומך', may you stretch upon us your Succah of peace."

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