Israel Defense Forces soldiers at a ceremony on Yom Hazikaron

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Yom Hazikaron (Hebrew: יום הזכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל ולנפגעי פעולות האיבה‎, lit. Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day) is Israel's official Memorial Day. In 2009, Israel honored the memory of 22,570 soldiers killed in the line of duty and 1,723 civilian terror victims.^[1]

[edit] Observance

Yom Hazikron is the day on which Israel honors its war veterans and others who died in the Arab-Israeli conflict. National memorial services are held in the presence of Israel's top leadership and military personnel. The day opens the preceding evening at 20:00 (8:00 pm), given that in the Hebrew calendar system days begin at sunset, with a siren. The siren is heard all over the country and lasts for one minute, during which Israelis stop everything (including driving, which stops highways) and stand in silence, commemorating the fallen and showing respect. Many national-religious (religious-Zionist) Jews say prayers for the souls of the fallen soldiers at this time as well. The official ceremony to mark the opening of the day takes place at the Western Wall, at which time the flag of Israel is lowered to half mast.

A two-minute siren is heard the following morning, at 11:00, which marks the opening of the official memorial ceremonies and private remembrance gathering which are held at each cemetery where soldiers are buried. The day officially draws to a close between 19:00 and 20:00 (7–8:00 p.m.) in the official ceremony of Israel Independence Day on Mount Herzl, when the flag of Israel is returned to full mast.

Scheduling Yom Hazikaron right before Yom Ha-Atzma'ut is intended to remind people of the price paid for independence and of what was achieved with the soldiers' sacrifice. This transition shows the importance of this day among Israelis, most of whom have served in the armed forces or have a connection with people who were killed during their military service.

[edit] Date

Yom Hazikaron is observed on the 4th day of the month of Iyar of the Hebrew calendar, always preceding the next day's celebrations of Israel Independence Day on the 5th day of Iyar, the anniversary of the Proclamation of the State of Israel in 1948. Both holidays may be observed one or two days earlier (the 3rd and 4th, or the 2nd and 3rd, of Iyar) if the 5th happens to occur on a Friday or Saturday, the Shabbat. Similarly, both days are moved one day later if Yom Hazikaron would fall on Sunday. Historically, the date was chosen because during the first year of Israel's existence politicians were not able to agree on a date for a memorial day.^{[citation needed]} As the year came to a close without a decision, the memorial day was celebrated on Israel's first independence day (1949), and the same arrangement was made the following year (1950). Celebrating the holidays together proved difficult (both logistically and emotionally), so in 1951, following the recommendation of a public commission, the memorial day was moved one day back. This arrangement was enacted as a law in 1963.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• "Izkor" – The state of Israel commemorates the fallen
• Remembrance Day--Independence Day -- Selected Readings
• YouTube video – Traffic stops during the siren on Yom Hazikaron