On Memorial Day, I stand for Tomer

Ami Kaufman By Ami Kaufman April 15, 2013 | Edit

On Memorial Day, I stand for Tomer

For the past few years, I’ve been debating within my head the whole standing during the sirens issue. Both on Holocaust Memorial Day, and today for fallen soldiers.

Something about the rituals on both days bother me, and at times it gives me the creeps in a “big brother” kind of way. The way a state can make so many citizens stand still for two minutes seems like a bit too much control for my liking. I guess that’s one of the reasons (among many) I decided to attend the alternative Combatants for Peace Memorial Day ceremony last night.

Yet, despite all this, I always stand. I’ve decided that no matter what, I will stand for a high school friend, Tomer Guterman.

Tomer and I were never really close. He was a close friend of some close friends. As such, we still met quite often, even after high school as we all began going our separate ways.

Tomer’s way was in the air force. He was a combat chopper pilot. He died in a routine training flight on March 3, 2003. He was 30, married, and never saw the little girl growing in his wife’s belly. Naama used the letters of Tomer’s name when naming their daughter, and called her Rotem.

I remember Tomer as a funny guy. Someone who smiled a lot. Someone extremely opinionated (who would probably hate +972 with a passion). Someone who was witty. And great at soccer. Someone I just honestly liked to be around.

So, I’m putting all my politics aside. I stand for Tomer. May he rest in peace.

On Memorial Day, I stand for Tomer

Ami Kaufman

Ami Kaufman was chief night editor for Haaretz, for the prominent Israeli financial daily Calcalist, and correspondent on Israeli affairs for 93.6 RAM FM, a joint Palestinian-Israel radio station. His interest in food and cooking led to culinary studies at the "Israeli CIA" (Tadmor, Herzliya) and a brief stint in the restaurant business. Born in Tel Aviv, Ami lives in Bat Yam with his wife and two daughters. In his spare time he blogs at Half & Half.

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