The memory of the tragic events of the past is an integral part of our lives. For Ukraine, these are days of mourning for the millions who died in the Holodomor of 1932-1933, the victims of the shootings in Babyn Yar and others.
A slightly different approach to commemorating tragic events in the State of Israel, whose history is full of dramatic pages. The country has established a single day of mourning – the Day of Remembrance for those who fell in Israel’s wars and victims of terror, in Hebrew – Yom Ha-Zikaron. The date of this day was not chosen by chance. On Iyar 4, 5708 according to the Hebrew calendar (May 13, 1948), the defenders of the Gush Etzion province were brutally killed and never learned that 10 hours later the independence of the State of Israel was proclaimed. The calendar proximity of these dates serves as a reminder of the price the Jewish people paid for the restoration of their national sovereignty. On Memorial Day, Jews express gratitude to the sons and daughters who sacrificed their own lives to protect their people and their country.
Yom HaZikaron was established in Israel at the legislative level in 1963. However, Israeli citizens began to celebrate Remembrance Day since the founding of the State of Israel.
Since 1860, when the first Jewish settlers left the Old City of Jerusalem to build Jewish neighborhoods, and to this day (as of April 2025), more than 25,000 men and women have died in the defense of the Land of Israel and its people, on duty and in the line of duty. This number includes members of the first volunteer Jewish guard brigades and armed squads; fighters and activists of Jewish underground organizations in Mandatory Palestine; soldiers of the Jewish Brigade who participated in the fighting of World War II, soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, police and intelligence officers (“Mossad”), and prison officers. A special feature of this day is also the honoring of civilians who became victims of terrorist attacks. Also, from 2023, those honored will include those who died because of terrorist attacks outside of Israel.
On this day, nationwide events are held with the participation of government and military representatives. The official ceremony is held at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Commemoration ceremonies are held throughout the country, at Yad La Shiron - the National War Memorial of Israel. A siren sounds throughout Israel, and a minute of silence is observed. According to tradition, the flags of the State of Israel with mourning ribbons are placed on the graves of fallen Israeli soldiers in military cemeteries. The families of the deceased receive a special message signed by the country's leaders - the president, prime minister and minister of defense - as a sign of respect, memory, sympathy and gratitude. The courage and devotion of the heroes remain a source of strength for the entire Jewish people.
We join in honoring the memory of all fallen soldiers - fighters for independence.