The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, with the loss of all seven crew, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107. (from wikipedia)
Among the astronauts on board was Israel’s first, Ilan Ramon. Colonel Ilan Ramon was a decorated Air Force hero in Israel and carried with him the hopes and dreams of a grateful nation. Ramon had been part of Israel’s famous first-strike attack against Iran’s nuclear facility in 1981, a maneuver that had been applauded for pushing Iran’s deadly intentioned facility two decades back. Among things carried on board with Ramon was a tiny sefer torah that had been hidden during the Holocaust, a mezuzah and children’s drawings. Ilan tired to observe Shabbat in space (every ninety minutes) and was a real Kiddush Hashem.
Upon the untimely loss of the shuttle and its crew, mourners from around the world came together for a brief moment. I was still in school, attending Yeshiva University at the time. I remember the student leaders rushing that afternoon to prepare for a memorial service. I was asked to make the moving video that can be watched above.
February 2, 2003 – Over 1,500 people gathered from across New York (the largest ceremony in the area that day) to mourn those brave souls and pay tribute to their memories.
Five years later we must still remember them and carry on their mission of scientific exploration and discovery and, as Ilan did, continue to be a light unto the nations.
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