Yom HaZikaron to Yom Haatzmaut and more in Jerusalem

So much happens over the short time period of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Haatzmaut, the transition from Remembrance Day to Independence Day, it was hard to keep up and impossible to do all I wished I could.

However, until Yom Yerushalayim – or Jerusalem Day, on May 18, this year,

the flags will still be seen on the Jerusalem streets. Here’s a quick review of what you missed this year in Jerusalem!

At night there were multiple large events and small in most communities, again we attended a program for Yom HaZikaron sponsored by the Michael Levin Base, and this year the program included JNF participation. The program was conducted in English.

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What an honor to meet leaders present from the Jewish War Veteran of the United States, one of many groups in the 1500-person crowded Givat Tachmoshet, Ammunition Hill amphitheater.

The speeches were all powerful and meaningful, and the IDF band added to the emotional aspect of the event.

Givat Tachmoshet was the scene of an important battle in 1967 with the Jordanian Legion, in the reunification of Jerusalem, MORE HERE.

While the Har Herzl Military Cemetery is the main venue for Yom HaZikaron, the next morning I decided to go to a smaller, less well-known Jerusalem cemetery.

Gravestones of the fallen have a small flag and black ribbon placed each year.

This year small groups gathered around a few of the graves.

A ceremony was held around the time of the morning siren.

I overheard one woman saying how much more meaningful the smaller ceremony was to her and her family.

The memorial siren went off as I walked to the cemetery.

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In various locations around Jerusalem, there are memorials for fallen soldiers, on my way home I passed this stone. Notice the second name, Herzl Halevy z”l, the uncle and namesake of the current head of IDF who was killed in the Six-Day War.

Nightfall brought the transition from mourning for the fallen on Yom HaZikaron to the celebrations of Independence Day, the Diamond Anniversary year of Yom Haatzmaut. Israel at 75.

At Har Herzl, all negative predictions proved very wrong, the program was the best I have seen by far, even for the live enthusiastic audience.

As the sun sets, the program starts with Yizkor, the Jewish prayer for the dead. This year Rabbi Leo Dee was chosen, his voice sounded strained from having spoken to so many people and in interviews since the murder of his wife and daughters.

However, the transition to the celebration was fast and wonderful.

The dancers were impressive against the huge stage constructed each year by Herzl’s grave at the top of the mountain.

The live audience was also treated to a great show this year.

The seat I was told to take had a fabulous view.

As a tradition, the Knesset Speaker leads this program, Amir Ohana spoke well and then lit the first torch.

The audience was given lights to add to the production.

Twelve individuals are honored to lit a torch, one for each biblical tribe. The torch lighters were excellent selections this year, each person impressive for their accomplishments.

And more on with the show, bright and flashy, but more tasteful than usual.

Of course, the military flags were paraded,

and the lights attached to the seats changed colors for the audience’s enjoyment and participation.

But, viewing the formations worked much better on screens from above.

There were Israeli-based themes from over the past 7 decades,

concluding with Salah Shabbati for a crowd-pleasing ending.

What a shame this was not as widely covered as in the past, it was a winner.

Then, in the morning, after some celebration throughout the night, there was still much more.

All shops are closed as Yom Haazmaut is a national holiday.

I was impressed by the multiple Jerusalem Municipality cleanup trucks I passed on my way to the Jerusalem Theater.

The Chidon Tanach HaOlami, or International Bible Quiz, is another Yom Haaztmaut tradition for many families.

The international group of Bible students was down to the final eight contestants for the televised annual program.

The Jerusalem Mayor had asked a previous question and the Prime Minister asks one of the last questions.

This year two girls won first and second place, with a tense competition at the end. Here you can see more of the competition with a pleasant ending.

Good thing I got the flyovers at rehearsal, no such luck on Yom Haatzmaut.

And then, the “75 Years of Creation” celebration, the diplomatic reception held at Beit Hanasi, Israel President’s House, in the afternoon.

Ambassadors and military heads of their mission arrived on the red carpet.

This year 7 Israeli wineries in the Golan were featured.

Cheeses, made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, were beautifully displayed.

The main program is held in the back garden with a new stage this year.

I love the hats that are placed on the table each time.

Michal Herzog looked happy as she came out to greet the guests.

They posed with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and his wife,

over and over again with the various Ambassadors to Israel.

People were smiling as they posed at the afternoon garden party.

Then seated for a program in the back garden,

which included musical interludes.

Eli Cohen mentioned in his remarks that there are 97 countries with representatives in Israel, and expects the number to rise to 100 next year.

The afternoon was another feel-good for Israel 75 celebration.

Besides so many hats and uniforms, wine and cheese, there was specialty ice cream and designer chocolates. After enough sugar and wine, I decided to go home and skip the Israel Prize, the other national program at the end of the day for Yom Haatzmaut. Time to review all the family photos of a day filled with hikes and BBQs. The smell of meat grilling filled the Jerusalem streets from thousands of Israeli Independence Day mangals.

At the national events, signs of protests were put away and Israel at 75 celebrations in Jerusalem went on in grand style.

Time for you to start planning next year in Jerusalem for 76!

The Best of Jerusalem, as Israel turns 74

It was 21 years ago that I was in Israel for Yom HaZikaron and Yom Haatzmaut for the first time. We arrived after a March of the Living trip to Poland and a visit to Auschwitz on Hitler’s birthday. 

Terrorists were blowing up buses on the Jerusalem, Israel, streets in 2001. Our group was sent to Arad and Beer Sheva instead of Jerusalem, which was thought to be too dangerous during those Intifada days.

The irony – after traveling by bus through Poland, and then being afraid of walking the Jerusalem streets, its buses, and eateries!

On Yom HaZikaron, Israeli Memorial Day, we remembered 24,068 Israeli soldiers who fell in battle and the 4,216 civilians who were murdered by terrorists.

To begin the busy week, The Michael Levin Base had a Sefer Torah dedication Monday night with former Ambassador Ron Dermer the featured speaker. These Torah covers were made specially from the tallis bag Harriet Levin had made for her son fallen soldier, Michael Levin z”l.

“You can’t fulfill your dreams unless you dare to risk it all” he had stated.

Photo credit: Kobi Gideon GPO

The official opening state ceremony is held annually at the Kotel, Western Wall Plaza, with the President of Israel speaking the lighting of a memorial torch with an honor guard, it is similar each year.

However, there are also thousands of smaller community ceremonies held throughout the country and by various groups. For the past two years, Covid severely limited all the major large community commemorations. The ceremony in Arad was well done and still, a vivid memory of a community united in mourning their fallen soldiers.

This year we attended an English event at Givat Tachmoshet, Ammunition Hill, led by The Michael Levin Base and supported by Norman Blaustein, in memory of his wife Sarah z’l who was murdered over 20 years ago. A terrorist sprayed their car with bullets, on an Israeli highway on the way to Jerusalem. One-shot to the back of her head was fatal. She had made aliyah nine months before.

A total of 28,284 men, women, and children have been killed in terrorist attacks and in defense of the Land of Israel since 1860, the year that the first Jewish settlers left the secure walls of Jerusalem to build new Jewish neighborhoods.

Since the last Memorial Day, 56 new names have been added to the roster of those who died defending the country.

A memorial siren sounds at night and again in the morning. There are official events at Har Herzl most of the day with families of soldiers and in communities throughout Israel as well.

This year the Netanyahus attended the program at the school where Sara works. In many Jerusalem neighborhoods, a ceremony was held at the local memorial site with the names of fallen residents.

Memorial Day ended on Wednesday evening, ushering in Israel’s 74th Independence Day with a multitude of live events with music and dancing.

Musical prayer services public and private could be heard walking along the Jerusalem streets after sunset ending the day of mourning.

Examples of the Blue and White themed plastic boppers, balloons, and glowing headbands were available for sale at First Station.

The musical prayer service attracted a huge crowd, while next to it at First Station the annual main event from Har Herzl’s live broadcast was seen.

People coming and going, and the crowd was so large it was hard to find friends. There were too many Jerusalem large events to attend, they included fireworks, and live musical entertainment, with some lasting all night long.

Annually at Beit Hanasi, the President’s Official Residence, the military honors start the daytime events, while in many synagogues the Hallel prayer is added to the morning service.

For thousands of Israelis, a highlight of Yom Haatzmaut is watching the Tanach Chidon or International Youth Bible Quiz on television.

This was the first time I was able to attend the annual and popular event held at the Jerusalem Theater, and fortunate to be there for the exciting finish. It ended with a tie between two young Israelis. The US representative came in third – first for the Diaspora communities.

The President, Prime Minister, and Jerusalem Mayor were honored to ask a question, but, the event is under Education Minister Dr. Yifat Shasha-Biton who was escorted to the stage to speak.

The full recorded broadcast is available online if you want to check your knowledge with that of these impressive youngsters.

I want to add this audience was the most enthusiastic, yet respectful group I have seen, they and we should all be proud.

In the afternoon the annual President’s Diplomatic Reception was back again after the corona limitations of the past two years,

with the traditional photos of representatives of international armed forces,

and religious leaders based in Israel in attendance.

At the colorful event, I love the military hats on the table as in the past.

New this year was the new Israeli President and Michal Herzog hosting, and featuring a variety of Israeli boutique wineries,

and cheese adorned with miniature Blue and White flags.

Ladies dressed in traditional costumes and men in uniform also enjoyed the Israeli ice cream cones or cups offered at the afternoon reception.

I noticed, as always, the diversity of the attendees,

and the large flags near the outdoor stage,

and wished I could have indulged in more wine with the diplomats who were hosted at Beit Hanasi.

But I wanted to get to the Jerusalem International Conference Center for the Israel Prize ceremony. This was the only decent image I could get. This was one event I should have stayed home and watched live on TV. It was much different than in past years when the live crowd filled the big auditorium.

Walking there thru Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, where people were enjoying family get-togethers on Yom Haatzmaut, some of the smallest flags were the cutest and I did see long time friends, so it was worth the time.

Much more happened this past week, but I will conclude with a brief quote from Dermer’s exceptional remarks which I hope to share in full soon.

The Torah gives us purpose. Israel gives us power.

Purpose without power is a lethal combination…

But power without purpose also cannot secure the Jewish future.   The mightiest of Empires and the greatest of civilizations have crumbled when their people lost their way when they lost their sense of purpose.”

The intense week of the Yoms, Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom Haatzmaut, with its extremes of highs and lows has concluded.

The Power of the IDF and the Purpose of the Torah were exemplified this week, and hopefully, we will continue together to build and celebrate Israel at 75 next year in Jerusalem.