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Feb. 2nd, 2003 12:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penmageIlan Ramon, you will be missed.
I...I...I don't even know what to say. I suppose you all know by now about the Columbia, destroyed upon re-entry this morning. What you may not know is that the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, was aboard. I mourn the deaths of the other astronauts no less than I mourn him, but I was emotionally invested in Ilan Ramon, along with the rest of the the country. I was in Israel when the Columbia took off, and up until and through the takeoff, the excitement in the country was palpable. Newspapers had another article about him every day, if only to mention his name. His name was on everybody's lips: an Israeli is going into space! At a time like this, especially at a time like this, when moral is low, terrorism and the threat of war hung over all of our heads, here was something positive to hold on to, something good! Here was something to read about in the papers and smile, and think "Finally, a piece of good news."
I never met Ilan Ramon; I can't tell you what he was like as a person. What I can tell you is what I've heard about him. He was a nonreligious Jew, never was observant before in his life, but he decided, that as the first Israeli in space, he was representing his people, and he was going to do his best to observe the Torah and keep the mitzvot. He asked questions for complicated issues like how to keep Shabbat in space (when it becomes Saturday) and how to keep kosher, and other techincal issues. Keeping the Torah and being observant is tricky enough on earth; in space, with all the extra complications involved, observance takes on a whole new level of complicated. But Ilan Ramon wanted to represent his people, and so he did. He took with him a microfiche of the Bible, given to him by Moshe Katsav, president of Israel. The papers managed to get this piece of information into every single article mentioning Ilan Ramon, until it became almost a joke, but it was serious. Ilan Ramon was a living, breathing piece of Israeli pride at a time when Israel desperatly needed something to be proud of.
And we are still proud of him, even as we mourn his loss. I personally am devestated by the loss. I know what he meant to Israel, and to me. The news hit me hard; it is still hitting me hard. I barely know what to say, how to react. Only two weeks ago we were eagerly tracking his progress, hearing his reports on a school science project growing blue and white crystals in space, crystals in the national colours of Israel. We were so excited, and so proud.
Ilan Ramon, you will be missed. Along with the state of Israel, I grieve for you.
I...I...I don't even know what to say. I suppose you all know by now about the Columbia, destroyed upon re-entry this morning. What you may not know is that the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, was aboard. I mourn the deaths of the other astronauts no less than I mourn him, but I was emotionally invested in Ilan Ramon, along with the rest of the the country. I was in Israel when the Columbia took off, and up until and through the takeoff, the excitement in the country was palpable. Newspapers had another article about him every day, if only to mention his name. His name was on everybody's lips: an Israeli is going into space! At a time like this, especially at a time like this, when moral is low, terrorism and the threat of war hung over all of our heads, here was something positive to hold on to, something good! Here was something to read about in the papers and smile, and think "Finally, a piece of good news."
I never met Ilan Ramon; I can't tell you what he was like as a person. What I can tell you is what I've heard about him. He was a nonreligious Jew, never was observant before in his life, but he decided, that as the first Israeli in space, he was representing his people, and he was going to do his best to observe the Torah and keep the mitzvot. He asked questions for complicated issues like how to keep Shabbat in space (when it becomes Saturday) and how to keep kosher, and other techincal issues. Keeping the Torah and being observant is tricky enough on earth; in space, with all the extra complications involved, observance takes on a whole new level of complicated. But Ilan Ramon wanted to represent his people, and so he did. He took with him a microfiche of the Bible, given to him by Moshe Katsav, president of Israel. The papers managed to get this piece of information into every single article mentioning Ilan Ramon, until it became almost a joke, but it was serious. Ilan Ramon was a living, breathing piece of Israeli pride at a time when Israel desperatly needed something to be proud of.
And we are still proud of him, even as we mourn his loss. I personally am devestated by the loss. I know what he meant to Israel, and to me. The news hit me hard; it is still hitting me hard. I barely know what to say, how to react. Only two weeks ago we were eagerly tracking his progress, hearing his reports on a school science project growing blue and white crystals in space, crystals in the national colours of Israel. We were so excited, and so proud.
Ilan Ramon, you will be missed. Along with the state of Israel, I grieve for you.
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no subject
Date: 2003-02-02 07:56 am (UTC)Navah, he was a wonderful, wonderful man. I never had the pleasure of meeting Ilan Ramon personally, but I watched many of his broadcasts throughout the mission. He was very dedicated to his work. He was very enthusiastic about both the mission and his part in it. He was very intense, but he always found a moment to smile at his crewmates and, if there was a broadcast or a live downlink, he was always pleasant and smiling, then. When he spoke, he was very articulate, intelligent, and witty. It was always a pleasure to hear him.
This crew had been together almost three years, because STS-107 started out as a completely different mission. Three years is actually quite a long training period, and during that time all the crew became very close. I've never seen a crew that worked so perfectly together. They were seven of the finest members of the corps. I was proud to see the international spirit that lived among them. Ilan was part of that. He will be so deeply, deeply missed.
He leaves a legacy to all people around the world, but most especially to people of Israel - that even through adversity, people can, indeed, reach the stars.
Ilan's Astronaut Bio
An Interview with Ilan Ramon
outer spaaaaaaaaace
Date: 2003-02-02 07:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-02-02 12:34 pm (UTC)I realize my last post sounded like it was coming from a JAPy Tennie boper. My apologizes, I become ditzy when stressed and last week was one of those weeks.
I have read some of your writing and I want you to know I think it is brilliant. Very poignant and moving. "Elegantly Blunt" is the term I use about one of my closest friends writing and I think it fits for you to.
Thank you for sharing.
Rachel
no subject
Date: 2003-02-03 04:47 am (UTC)