Yom HaZikaron (), in full Yom HaZikaron LeHalelei Ma'arkhot Yisrael ul'Nifge'ei Pe'ulot HaEivah (), is Israel's official day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and terrorism victims, enacted into Israeli law in 1963. While Yom HaZikaron has been traditionally dedicated to fallen soldiers, commemoration has also been extended to civilian victims of terrorism.

History

thumb|right|An IDF officer places new flags, each with a black ribbon, on the graves of IDF soldiers for Yom HaZikaron.

thumb|right|IDF soldiers at a Yom HaZikaron ceremony in 2007

thumb|[[Israeli Bedouin|Bedouin Soldiers Memorial]]

In 1949 and 1950, the first two years after the declaration of the State, memorial services for soldiers who fell in the War of Independence were held on Independence Day. Services at military cemeteries were coordinated between the IDF and the Ministry of Defense. A concern arose, expressed by families of fallen soldiers, to establish a separate memorial day observance distinct from the festive celebrations of national independence. In response, and in light of public debate on the issue, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion – also serving as Minister of Defense – established in January 1951 the "Public Council for Soldiers' Commemoration". This council recommended establishing the 4th of Iyyar, the day preceding Independence Day, as the "General Memorial Day for the Heroes of the War of Independence". This proposal won government approval that same year.

Observance

Yom HaZikaron is the national remembrance day observed in Israel for all Israeli military personnel who lost their lives in the struggle that led to the establishment of the State of Israel and for those who have been killed subsequently while on active duty in Israel's armed forces. As of Yom HaZikaron 2022, that number was 24,213.

Preceding evening

The day opens with a siren the preceding evening at 20:00 (8:00 pm), given that in the Hebrew calendar system, a day begins at sunset. The siren is heard all over the country and lasts for one minute, during which Israelis stop everything, including driving on highways, and stand in silence, commemorating the fallen and showing respect.

By law, all places of entertainment are closed on the eve of Yom HaZikaron, and broadcasting and educational bodies note the solemnity of the day.

Since the founding of the state, Israel has chosen the Red Everlasting flower (, , 'blood of the Maccabees') as the national memorial flower. The flower is depicted in many memorial sites and can be seen worn as stickers on shirts and jackets throughout Yom HaZikaron. Since 2019, the non-profit organization , has been distributing pins with the real Red Everlasting flower throughout Israel and the United States.

Main memorial day

A two-minute siren is sounded at 11:00 the following morning, which marks the opening of the official memorial ceremonies and private remembrance gatherings at each cemetery where soldiers are buried.

Many Israelis visit the resting places of loved ones throughout the day. The official ceremony to mark the opening of the day takes place at the Western Wall.

The day officially draws to a close at sundown (between 19:00 and 20:00; 7–8 p.m.) in a ceremony at the national military cemetery on Mount Herzl, marking the start of Israel Independence Day, when the flag of Israel is returned to full staff.

Scheduling Yom HaZikaron right before Independence Day 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.

Timing

The normative day for Yom HaZikaron is the fourth day of the month of Iyar, with Yom HaAtzmaut following immediately on the next day (fifth of Iyar). This rarely occurs. The construction of the current Hebrew calendar allows these two dates to only occur on certain days of the week, but most of those possibilities will conflict with the Jewish Shabbat. The holidays are adjusted so neither falls out on the Shabbat, or even on Friday and Sunday. (Falling out on Friday would interfere with Shabbat preparation and cause overlap of the events on Friday evening. Falling out on Sunday would cause a similar conflict with the end of Shabbat on Saturday evening, as Yom HaZikaron always starts at 8:00, which might be earlier than dusk on Saturday night.)

The possible normative days and their adjustments are:

  • Sunday-Monday: Yom HaZikaron would start 8:00 Saturday night. They are both pushed off a day to Monday the 5th of Iyar and Tuesday the 6th. Example: 2017 (5777)
  • Tuesday-Wednesday: This is the only case without any conflict with the Shabbat, so no adjustment is needed and observance stays on normative dates of the 4th and 5th of Iyar. Example: 2023 (5783)

No other combination is possible. The calendar never has the 4th and 5th on Monday-Tuesday, Wednesday-Thursday, or Saturday-Sunday.

See also

  • Culture of Israel
  • Israeli casualties of war
  • Martyrdom in Judaism

Notes

References

Further reading

  • Reingold, M. (2024). "'Easier to Understand but More Difficult to Digest': Student Experiences with Israeli Yom HaZikaron Cartoons". Canadian Jewish Studies Études Juives Canadiennes, 38, 113–132. .
  • Remembrance Day–Independence Day – Selected Readings