Yom HaZikaron – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Jerusalem: Flags, Flames, Flyovers, Flowers and Finally Fireworks

May 8, 2019Sharon A

After the Passover holiday flags begin to appear on the Jerusalem, Israel, streets.

Flags on supermarket fences,

and flags on all types of vehicles.

Flags large and small are displayed on community and public buildings.

These new apartment buildings win for the longest flag I have seen this year.

The annual practice flights for Yom Haatzmaut, Independence Day, included a new stunt.

That fourth plane was not out of formation, but had turned upside down in a spin.

Look high above the Knesset building, in the clouds to see it coming back in formation.

However, this video clip of one maneuver should give you a better idea.

This is one helicopter circling over Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s house.

On Yom Ha’aztmaut the President hosts the first of a long day of events, and helicopters fly over at the opening.

Outside of Beit Hanasi, besides the flags there is a memorial flame.

Before the festivities of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Yom HaZikaron, Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars and Victims of Terrorism is commemorated.

A siren is sounded for one minute at 8:00 pm and another at 11:00 this morning.

Shops were closed last night. Jerusalem streets were quiet.

Memorial services were held at the Kotel, Western Wall, with President Rivlin, while hundreds of smaller solemn gatherings were held in Jerusalem.

Most Israeli cities have their own military cemetery and memorial, but the largest is in Jerusalem.

Extra flags were up after Passover at the entrance

to the military cemetery on Har Herzl, where more flags were flying.

There is a special memorial for Ethiopians who lost their lives.

A special section for lone soldiers is adorned with military souvenir flags.

The main section was being prepared immediately after Passover.

A shade from the sun and a small white plastic stool was placed by each grave.

I went early to get photos to share.

Today tens of thousands of people, from all over, will fill Har Herzl for Yom HaZikaron.

A photo without crowds of people would be impossible.

Looking at the age here, I remembered being in the Beer Sheva Military Cemetery on Yom HaZikaron, in 2001, with a group of high school students after the March of Living trip to Poland. What the teens noticed was how many of the stones had 19 as the age they died. A number so close to their age captured their attention.

On Yom HaZikaron, each grave will have a small flag and flower, as Israelis remember 23,741 fallen soldiers.

The 3,150 victims of terror are also remembered.

Since 1955, as on the traditional blue sticker for Yom HaZikaron, is the Dam HaMaccabim (Red Everlasting) flower. The flower on a pin is new this year, part of the Dam HaMaccabim Project –

“According to legend, every drop of blood of the Maccabees that fell to the ground was absorbed into the land, and from it sprung the beautiful flower with its blood-like red blossom…

The Israeli people have known so much bereavement over the years, and yet we are not a sad people…we have channeled our losses into a national culture of growth, of bringing forth new life…”

So again as the sun sets, the mood shifts.

Signs are up, ready for celebrating 71 years Israel Independence in Jerusalem.

Fireworks from Har Herzl will be seen over the Jerusalem streets as the festive celebrations begin.

A week of extreme highs and lows, joy and sadness, on the real Jerusalem streets.

Yom HaZikaron: Remembering in Jerusalem

April 18, 2018April 18, 2018Sharon A

On Yom HaZikaron, Memorial Day, Israel remembers 23,646 fallen soldiers and 3,134 victims of terror.

The official opening memorial is held at the Western Wall, the Kotel, each year, with the Israeli President as the main speaker, and the lighting of the memorial flame.

There are numerous community memorials, some led by Scouts and other youth groups.

In 1967, Givat Hatachmoshet, Ammunition Hill, was site of an important battle. Today there is a memorial for Jewish soldiers on the memorial site.

A wall with plaques for fallen Jewish soldiers, from all countries, not only Israel, goes back to 1948, identifying the soldiers by the armies to which they belonged. Since before the establishment of the State of Israel, volunteers have come to defend and fight for a Jewish state. Too many have fallen.

“The Sons We Lost” was the theme of the memorial ceremony held by the Lone Solider Center in memory of Michael Levin at Givat Hatachmoshet.

Harriet Levin, mother of Michael z”l (right), Evie Steinberg, mother of Max z”l, and Tuvia Book who spoke for the family of Alex Singer z”l, were the main speakers. Such wonderful young men were lost. But each of their families have dedicated themselves to continuing the dedication of their fallen heroes, each in their own way.

Yom HaZikaron starts at night with the wail of a siren.

Memorial torches are lit throughout Israel.

Memorial prayers are recited.

The fallen are remembered in words

and with the solemn sounds of soulful music.

But after a day of memorial services, visits to cemeteries with graves of the fallen soldiers and victims of terror,

as night falls, Israel begins to celebrate 70 years.

From the tears of Har Herzl Military Cemetery to the cheers of Har Herzl Yom Haatzmaut, Independence Day fireworks.

#Israel70 a modern day miracle, dreamed of for centuries from afar.

Best of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut in Jerusalem

May 3, 2017May 3, 2017Sharon A

Jerusalem, Israel, for the Yoms

as usual was overloaded with events,

many this year influenced in anticipation of

50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem.

Israeli flags are draped down the sides of buildings.

These are at the Israel Museum entrance

where the dome of the Shrine of the Book can be seen.

Yom HaZikaron, Israeli Remembrance Day

for fallen soldiers and victims of terror,

began Sunday night with memorials throughout Israel,

and were accompanied by prayers, speeches and memorial flames.

The official state ceremony seen live on television,

was held at the Kotel, the Western Wall,

where President Reuven Rivlin lit the memorial light.

Sponsored by the Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin,

a memorial service was held at Givat HaTachmoshet, Ammunition Hill,

the site of deadly fighting to defend Jerusalem in 1967.

The program in English was live-streamed

and seen by over 16,000 people around the world.

All day Monday, tens of thousands of Israelis visited cemeteries.

This cemetery has many graves from 1948-1950,

the first years that Jews could not get to

the Mount of Olives due to the Jordanian occupation

and had to find new places to bury their dead.

On Yom HaZikaron, a man prayed by a grave.

A small Israeli flag with a black ribbon attached,

and small bunch of flowers, yizkor, remembers

those much too young who died in war.

The cemetery is next to Harel Garden

and Memorial wall, where this lone wreath was placed.

Walk around the memorial and you can see

that Gush Etzion is 16 kilometers from Cinema City and

the Israeli Supreme Court and government offices.

Tens of thousands came to Har Herzl Military Cemetery

during the day, to place flowers and to mourn,

remembering those lost to war and terror.

The crowds thinned at end of day,

and all headed home from the Har Herzl Military Cemetery.

But as the sun set,

on another part of Har Herzl,

the lights went on this huge stage,

celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut, Independence Day.

This year for the first time two non-Israelis were selected

with the honor of lighting one of the 12 memorial flames,

Rabbi Marvin Hier and Michael Steinhardt,

seen here before the official program began.

The show is telecast live and seen by thousands,

but watching on TV you could not see them remove

the circle of fire used in one production number.

It is an extravaganza with set rituals,

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat broke with tradition

when he joined with Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein

to light the official flame of Israel’s Independence Day.

Seats were at a premium, the flag waving,

cheering crowd did not need a lot of encouragement.

Besides the two Americans, I wanted to see Rabbanit Chana Henkin

who was honored as one of the twelve torch lighters,

one for each tribe of Israel.

Dr. Ahmed Eid, an Arab doctor, was another honoree.

The program featured songs and military colors.

For this shot, no seat in the stands would work,

only this overhead camera would do.

Afterwards celebrations went all night,

in too many locations to list, with prayers, songs and dancing.

The next day at Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence,

120 outstanding soldiers were honored in the morning

and in the afternoon rows of diplomats came,

along with one young Presidential grandson,

to pay their respects to Israel and hear the Prime Minister

and President speak on theme,”next year in Jerusalem.”

While the heads of consuls and foreign military were at Beit Hanasi,

thousands of Israelis were in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park.

Most of the green spaces all over the country were full of Israelis.

On the radio were announcements of crowded roads to JNF parks.

This family brought a couch to Gan Sacher,

which is one way to make your holiday mangal, BBQ, feel like home.

I know this is getting way too long,

but there was so much more,

like the Bible Competition, free museums, and performances.

festive meals, and those IDF flyovers and stunts.

Israel, after 69 years

as President Rivlin said, is young for a country,

under constant threat and repeated attacks,

yet has accomplished so much.

So it was,

from memorials to celebrating independence,

so much happening in Jerusalem.