That Gavri's Memory Might Live
ROSENTHAL, JUDITH K.
That Gavri's Memory Might Live Not until six months after the end of the Yom Kippur War was Gavri Baram's tank located—on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal. The army search team that found it...
...During one such visit, father and son created a chanukiah together based on the notes of the Chanukah song "Ma'oz Tzur...
...Year after year, young people come to view the chanukiol" explains Moshe Israel, director of the museum at the Barams' kibbutz, Kfar Menachem, where the chanu-kiot are displayed most of the year...
...THE FLAM K-S "Tin' hfll fire uf the Vim) Kippur War of 15)73" is the theme uf this i upper and bninxe mcnorah...
...In memory of our dear Gavri Baram...
...Two other menorahs recall a week-long trip to Jerusalem that the family took to mark Gavri's bar mitzvah...
...neiiher shall iht'j learn war any more" I Isaiah 2:1...
...and Yad Labanim (The Soldiers' Memorial House) in Petach Tikvah...
...In one chanukiah I have expressed those two fateful years of his birth and death as the beginning and the end of a life cycle," Myrim says...
...As a boy Gavri would visit his father's blacksmith shop...
...SWORDS INTO I'l.OHMIAKK-S Myrim depicts a stylized war machine that has been turned inm a ilimrr hnlcliT in this cop|MT menorah...
...on the night of Yom Kippur...
...Hope The ihamasli of ihLs alpaca-wire filigree menorah is "a while dove flying above a revolving globe looking for a place to land...
...The dedication at the lower left reads...
...Myrim's menorahs show a stylistic development...
...Thus, little more than ihcii M.nncs .in vmlilr...
...He died 18 years, 9 months and 10 days later, on the first day of the Yom Kippur War in 1973...
...His early designs were traditional and bore the imprint of his upbringing in Lithuania...
...the artist explains...
...Pictures of the menorahs have been gathered into a book, Gabriel's Hannukias (Sifriat Poalim, 1988), with an introduction by Moshe Israel and with explanations by the artist.—J.K.R...
...Myrim, a kibbutz blacksmith, began to create a remarkable series of Chanukah menorahs (chanukiol) as a memorial to his fallen son...
...During those long nights [before his tank was found] when I had failed to find escape in sleep, I was constantly seized by the oppressive fear that my son would remain an unknown soldier and disappear into oblivion," says Gavri's father, Myrim Baram...
...I felt the need to do something so that he would remain more than that...
...The candles arc hidden inside the mcnorah, and delicate springs push them upward as they burn...
...Gavri's initials, suppori the \htimti\h al far rii^il and [he first two candles...
...In one menorah, the base and candle cups are made of silver and white metals to represent Gavri's youthful innocence, while behind the candles the letters of Gavri's name form red copper "flames" that burst out of a stylized tank and rise to heaven...
...Specially commissioned large chanukiot by Myrim Baram are also displayed at Beth Hatefutsoth, the Diaspora museum in Tel Aviv...
...Later, he began to create contemporary menorahs that were designed around themes of war and peace, around the letters of Gavri's name or events in Gavri's life...
...In memory of our dear son Ciavrik [his mother's nickname (or him), who Has horn mi ( liannkali ">7II> and It'll in (lie Yom Kippnr War S7;t4, on ihe hanks of die Sue...
...Beit Hahayal (The Soldier's Home) in Tel Aviv...
...I lie giNn-/ and brl...
...Myrim decided on chanukiol because of Gavri's Chanukah birthday and the pleasure Gavri took in his father's Chanukah stories...
...Gabriel Baram was born during Chanukah 1954...
...All this time, Gavri's family had prayed that he had been captured or was somehow only missing...
...To order the book Gabriel's Hannukias through MOMENT, send a check for $18.50 per copy plus $3.00 per order shipping to MOMENT Bookstore, 3000 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20008...
...i"hf insrriplioii on (lie center and It'll parLs of the base reads...
...One chanukiah symbolizes Gavri's participation in an Israeli youth delegation at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by terrorists...
...It is remarkable to see how Myrim's creations awaken the creativity of these young visitors...
...Myrim taught him to weld and solder...
...Hie prophtsvy of Isaiah thai speaks of turning swords into plowshares continues wilh [hi1 passage rU hed on the i ii^hl side of die liase, "Nation shall 1101 lake up sword against nalioii...
...Now they knew that he was dead...
...The army search team that found it discovered among the remains a wristwatch that had stopped at 21:45, 9:45 P.M...
...a copgHT gloth supports all the candles...
Vol. 14 • December 1989 • No. 7
