The Yoms

I meant to blog about the Yoms last week, but I haven't had a chance until now. Better late than never.


Last week we celebrated Yom Hazikaron (Remembrance Day in honor of fallen soldiers and victims of terror) and then Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Independence Day). As of Yom Hazikaron 2009, Israel honored the memory of 22,570 people who were killed in the line of duty and and 1,723 civilian terror victims since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. In fact, just up the hill from our apartment, there is an inset wall with an inscription and a list of names of people who died here during a bomb attack. On Yom Hazikaron, the City of Haifa and families of the victims laid wreaths and flowers there. It was very moving and a little scary.

Yom Hazikaron begins with the sounding of a siren and a minute of silence. All restaurants and forms of entertainment close. An official ceremony takes place at the Kotel, which we watched on TV. All flags are placed at 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 gatherings which are held at each cemetery where soldiers are buried. We went out to the street to watch. (Across the street from us was a group of schoolchildren -- apparently their teacher had the same idea that we had.)


The day officially draws to a close at about 8:00 p.m. and goes immediately into the official ceremony of Israel Independence Day on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, when the flags are returned to full mast.

Yom Ha'Atzmaut is celebrated throughout the country with fireworks, just like the Fourth of July at home. We watched from the top of Mount Carmel, looking down at the fireworks display on the port. I have never looked down on fireworks before. It was very cool.


On the day of Yom Ha'Atzmaut, there are ceremonies featuring ritual marches by soldiers carrying combat units flags (one for each year of the anniversary). We were able to see them practicing when we were in Jerusalem last month. They also light 12 torches, one for each of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
It was a wonderful experience to be able to celebrate these Yoms (as well as Yom HaShoah the week before) in Israel. They will be much more meaningful to us from now on.