Activities and events 2020
'Walking in their light'
Havat Hashomer is a unique IDF-base of basic training, which runs within The IDF Education and Youth Corps.
Within the framework of their educational work the place runs a special project for the young recruits, which is dedicated to Israeli fallen soldiers. During the program, each recruits-team is dedicated to one of IDF falling soldiers and named after him. The young recruits then research his life and values, as inspiration.
Families of Dr. Moshe Marzouk and of Samuel Azar were honored to join the project. In early March 2020, they held a first, moving encounter at IICC center in Gliloth with “Team Samuel” and “Team Moshe” members as well as with their commanders and instructors. Head of The Cairo Martyrs Memorial Fund , Prof. Nahem Ilan, told the recruits about “the Affair” and highlighted the morals which guided and motivated the members of the network.
The families’ members shared with the teams about Moshe and Samuel’s life and death and discussed the lessons to learn and values to cherish. Keen listeners, the recruits were well informed. As they wanted to learn and understand more, they asked profound, pierce questions.
We consider the insights and the morals which were reflected, to be of at most significance to the young recruits on their journey of becoming fully trained soldiers as well as, later, engaged and responsible Israeli citizens. The direct commanders of the recruits will see to integrate these lessons and insight in the training process and will support this process.
Due to the Coronavirus crisis no graduation ceremonies were held and so no recruits nor their families could attend further event with the foundation. We therefore had to maintain communication only with the teams’ commanders.
We were pleased to learn, that some of the recruits have been accepted into combat fighter military units, some assigned as security drivers and others in fighter’s supportive roles. We wish them the best of luck in coping with the challenges they face.
A remembrance event - marking 65 years to the execution by hanging, of Lt. Colonel Samuel Azar and Lt. Colonel Dr. Moshe Marzouk.
The IICC Director General, Brigadier General (Res.) Dudu Tzur, together with Colonel Y. of Unit 8200 coordination command office, moved the audience, when they acknowledged the guests who attended the ceremony, helped to right the wrong, which the state of Israel was responsible for during many years of overlooking and ignoring the victims of the affair. They spoke about the values which guided the Cairo martyrs and how they reflected values which were relevant to us all, also today. Each of them highlighted brotherhood, deep friendship and bond, the courage in accepting personal responsibility as key principles to live by, as well as the love to Zion and the state of Israel and prioritizing communal values over individualism.
Among the guests who attended the event were Cairo prisoner Robert Dassa; co-founder of IICC and brother of Dr. Marzouk, Dr. Yosef Marzouk; nieces and nephew of Samuel Azar: Ella, Galia and Yossi; as well as Nissim Levy, who was Samuel’s student in the Alexandria’s school. They stood out in the audience.
A mini-seminar in commemoration of the Cairo Martyrs was held at the Hebrew Reali School, Haifa.
On January 22, 2020 The Cairo Martyrs Memorial Fund held a mini-seminar day in the Reali School in Haifa.
Fifty high-school pupils, who focused on the Arab world, Islam and Arabic language studies as major subjects, participated in the event, which took place in Bet-Biram campus.
Family members of the Cairo prisoners and the Cairo martyrs attended the educational event, as well as Representatives of the Cairo Martyrs Memorial Fund.
In preparation to the seminar, Middle East and Regional Diplomacy Studies Coordinator, high school teacher Mr. Gil Hanan, gave the students a background lecture on ‘the Affair.’
The seminar was opened by principal and managing director of The Hebrew Reali School in Haifa, Yosi Ben-Dov.
Mr. Ofer Anaby together with Head of the Cairo Martyrs Memorial Fund, Prof. Nahem Ilan, moderated a panel discussion about the human element in The Affair, and the dominant role it played. The panel speakers, who discussed the events were Cairo prisoner, architect and artist Mayer Zafran (91.5 year old!), Guy Dassa – son of Robert Dassa, who was imprisoned for 14 years in Egyptian jail; and Ella Shoshana, niece of engineer Samuel Azar, who was executed by hanging in Cairo. Prof. Nahem talked about Dr. Moshe Marzouk. Ella also talked about the inspiring Marcelle Ninio, who was the only woman member in the network.
Headmaster of the high school, Mendi Rabinovich, gave closing remarks.
