I get it now...

Tonight, at 8 o'clock, the sirens around Israel were sounded. 

Everywhere. 

Not for rockets from Gaza, or Lebanon, or any other place of hate in the Middle East. 

For the soldiers who died defending Israel, for the victims of terrorist attacks, and for their families and their communities. 

Today is Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Memorial Day. 

There are no sales, and there are no barbecues. 

There are candles and ceremonies and tears. 

There are memorials on Memorial Day. 

It sounds obvious, but to this American it is a radical change and one that I could not fully comprehend until I saw it first hand. 

I get it now.

-Sam Friedman, Central Florida Hillel director of community relations, traveled to Israel at the conclusion of his participation in the 28th Annual March of the Living.