Israel: “Remove the CROSS from his HEADSTONE”
Bogdanovski’s family immigrated to Israel from Ukraine in 2014
… David enlisted in the IDF and served in the engineering corps
… fell in battle in the south of the Gaza Strip
… “it is not permissible to place a cross or any other religious marker on a military headstone,”
… “Haifa military cemetery, where fallen Jewish soldiers are also buried,”
… Ministry added, citing a ruling by the IDF Chief Rabbi
… states the holiness of the Jewish cemetery is harmed by the cross
… “families whose loved ones are buried nearby”
… “claim that the cross hurts their feelings and their ability to pray”
… “in light of the ruling of the IDF chief Rabbi”
… Earlier this month, Bogdanovsky’s mother visited his grave
… found that his headstone had been covered in black cloth
… “I don’t have words to describe the humiliation I felt,”
… “my David, who gave his life to the country”
… “loved the country with all his heart for nine years”
… “is not a second-class citizen. I stood there and cried with anger, frustration”
