The 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War occurs this year. The war was launched in 1973 in a surprise attack by Syria and Egypt on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Even though the signs of an imminent attack were noted by the Israeli intelligence, the Israeli government decided to ignore them for political and strategic reasons. Consequently, the country’s borders were very sparsely defended, creating a dangerous void on the front. The invading armies outnumbered the Israelis at a ratio of more than a hundred to one in manpower and ten to one in armor and artillery.
Because the bulk of the Israel army is comprised of
reservists, it took two days to mobilize and deploy the forces. During these
critical days it was up to the vastly outnumbered soldiers on the front and
Israeli pilots in the sky to hold the line and stall the attackers. It was the
heroism and determination of these men that saved the country. Their devotion
and sacrifice compensated for the woeful lack of sufficient equipment and
supplies. The strategic depth of the Sinai desert and Golan Heights also
provided the country the time needed to mobilize the reservists.
This war posed the most serious threat to the existence of
Israel in modern history. Even though Israel was eventually able to achieve a
military victory, the country paid a steep price, both in lives lost and in the
citizenry’s confidence in their leaders and themselves. Almost three thousand
soldiers gave their lives -- a ratio of one death per one thousand Israelis, a
painful price for a nation of three million. Over fifteen thousand individuals
were wounded in the 18 days of fighting. Almost every household and
neighborhood was affected. The pain and sorrow felt at the time continues to
this day among affected families and the broader Israeli society. Deep within
the psyche of the nation, this conflict shattered the conventional wisdom of
Israel’s invincibility. It also illustrated the importance of having secure and
defensible borders, while highlighting the urgent need for a lasting peace
between Israel and its neighbors.
Assistance from the United States was instrumental in
Israel’s victory. Ammunition, spare parts, armor and fighter jets reached the
country at a critical moment, replenishing heavy losses and enabling Israel not
only to repel the attackers but to go on the offensive, ending the war 65 miles
from Cairo and 25 miles from Damascus. Moreover, the political and military
commitments from the United States countered the Soviet Union which had
threatened to intervene in the crisis on behalf of their Arab allies.
I was a battalion physician during the Yom Kippur War. Like
thousands of Israelis, I joined my battalion which had been assigned to supply
the armored corps with ammunition, fuel, water and food. These soldiers risked
their lives, replenishing tanks with fuel and ammunition under enemy fire. I
watched them overcome countless difficulties and perform their mission, despite
constant danger, many of them paying the ultimate price. It was a daily
struggle for survival, requiring resourcefulness and performance despite the
constant presence of fear and anxiety. This war defined my definition of
courage: the performance of one’s duty despite one’s fear.
On
this Day of Atonement let us therefore remember those who gave their lives in
the defense of the State of Israel during the Yom-Kippur War. They fell
defending their homes and country. They did not return from the battle field
and did not live to experience life in all of its dimension- to love, bring and
raise children, and fulfill their dreams. Their sudden death impacted the lives
of so many others - their children, spouses, parents, grandparents, and
friends. These waves of pain and sorrow rippled through a grieving nation, and
resonating forever in the heart and souls of so many.
This
war almost brought about the destruction of Israel, but for the bravery of
those young and old in many cases fathers and sons, who fought side by side,
turning a potential disaster to a stunning victory. They compensated for the
lack of manpower, equipment, and supply with improvisation, courage, and
determination. These ordinary people became unwilling heroes who saved Israel.
For Jews who lived through the Yom Kippur War, the holiest of
the High Holydays will never be the same. For us, it stands not only as a day
of atonement but as day of gratitude to God for the miracle of survival. It is
also a time for remembering those who paid the ultimate price for preserving
and protecting Israel, and will always renew our commitment to state of Israel.
Itzhak Brook MD
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