Chanukah: And What is Heroism?

One of the messages of Chanukah is that we aren't to look at the numbers, the statistics, the polls, what the experts say of our chances.  The "so called weak" can overcome, defeat the "seemingly might."  Being a hero is is just "doing," going forward no matter what, overcoming objective disadvantages, "popular wisdom," what the media and "experts" say.  G-d brings everything to a different standard when added in.

Every year the Menachem Begin Heritage Center hosts the ceremony to honor three heroes who receive the Menachem Begin Prize for Heroism.  This year there were three very diverse winners.

Noam Gershoni not only survived deathly wounds as an IDF pilot. Just living looked far from possible when the medics found him.  But his rehabilitation was to train for the Paraolympics and he became Israel's Gold Medal Winner in Tennis.

Dr. Yehuda David pretty much took on the world to prove that Israel didn't kill  Muhammad al-Dura.  This should have been done by the Israeli Government.  One of my ongoing complaints is that the Israeli Government apologizes before checking if even guilty of anything.  That destroys our credibility and deterrence.

And the third "winners" is a diverse group of young people who have volunteered to live in difficult, disadvantaged neighborhoods and locations to improve the lives of the residents.  They help by being totally involved in the areas they live, education, youth work etc.  There's a limit to what the government can do in that field.  Residents must also take responsibility for their neighborhoods and schools by fighting to improve everything with the Israeli "follow me..." rather than the "you do..." or "do for me..."

It's always easier to sit back and criticize or be depressed and sorry for yourself.  These winners are heroes, because they took charge of their lives, situations etc. 

Here are more sights and the sounds of the ceremony, enjoy: