Tall and sturdy, straight and rugged, focused and modest, hateful of words and lovers of action - guileless. Who has born us these? How is it that we, emerging from exile, bodily fragile and indecisive, how we, the argumentative and problematic, have been privileged to be the parents of sons who, with their souls, have brought us redemption and with their blood, have bought our freedom? Have we begot them by miracle?

Has such a generation risen by grace and by the gift of God above? Indeed, it will not be considered arrogance nor shall we deny the truth if we note and claim this: not by charity, but in justice have we merited this perpetuating generation. We have deserved this privilege by materializing the vision of generations, the right of transforming into reality - the dream of an entire nation, with our souls and bodies have we strived to establish Hebrew villages of farmers laboring with their own hands, small but powerful units of a just society with equal rights and obligations. And had there been a front of Jews struggling for their revival - we would be its fighters, its first line soldiers. Indeed, we have been deserving of these children, and they shall be our unending source of joy, those who revived us in difficult times.

Sitting next to our table, accompanying us at work, in the yard and in the field - our souls were filled with joy, because they seemed to us the best dream come true and the vision taking actual shape. And so, how shall we refrain from grieving, as the well from which we drew the joy of life was depleted and destroyed? And how shall our eyes hold back our tears, the eyes who shall no longer witness the splendor of youth, the glory of lads? No longer shall the ear hear the echo of the song of youth that emerges and rises wherever they go. No longer shall the scythe rejoice in the hands of a brave hand -

They were and they are no more...

From "The book of the Sons", in memory of the fallen in the Independence War. Eliyahu Amizur, of the Kfar Yehoshua founders, lost his son in this war.