Israel is commemorating its annual Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism.
Yom Hazikaron began on Tuesday evening at 8:00PM with the sounding of a one-minute siren. Israel will remember its 23,741 fallen IDF soldiers and 3,150 civilians killed in terror attacks, including the four victims of the latest round of Hamas rocket fire from Gaza earlier this week.
Memorial Day remembers the soldiers and members of the nation’s security forces who were killed since 1880, when Jews first moved to what was then called Palestine. The day also includes memorial services for the 3,150 victims of terrorism since the state was established in 1948.
The one-minute siren nationwide on Tuesday evening marks the beginning of the solemn day, to be followed by the main even at the Kosel which is scheduled to include President Reuven Rivlin and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi.
A special memorial event called “Songs in Their Memory” took place in Knesset, beginning at 9:15PM. President Rivlin and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu were in attendance.
A two-minute siren is scheduled to sound on Wednesday morning at 11:00AM, marking the beginning of the day’s events, including memorial services in military cemeteries around the country. Following the siren, the official state ceremony will take place on Mt. Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, in the presence of PM Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Aviv Kochavi. The state ceremony for victims of terror is scheduled to take place on Mt. Herzl as well, at 1:00PM.
Memorial Day concludes at 8:00PM on Wednesday, at which time Israel begins observance of its 71st Independence Day.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
Kol Hakavod to those who showed basic Derech Eretz.
To those who don’t agree with a moment of silence – at least take out a Tehilim and say a few Kapitlach for the Zechus of your brothers and sisters who fell defending Jewish lives. Having spoken with a number of secular Israelis, I can say that the vast, vast majority would appreciate that as much as if you’d stood silent – and that would go a long way toward minimizing sin’a in Klal Yisrael
an Israeli Yid