Israeli Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron)

An Israeli soldier places a national flag on the graves of killed comrades at the Kiryat Shaul military cemetery in Tel Aviv as the country begins to mark memorial day for fallen soldiers on April 24, 2012. Remembrance Day is followed immediately by the 64th anniversary of the creation of Israel in 1948 according to the Jewish calendar. AFP PHOTO / JACK GUEZ (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)
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  • 126 fallen IDF soldiers and Israeli terror victims in the past year (compared to 183 during the year before)
  • 10,524 bereaved families who have lost 22,993 loved ones, including 2,396 orphans and 4,992 widows
  • 22,993 fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism killed since 1860

11 thoughts on “Israeli Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron)”

      1. Lots of young Americans celebrate 4/20 but it has nothing to do with Hitler’s birthday.

        I read that a cgathering was planned in Israel this year similar to those happening in college campuses and parent’s basements in the US. They told the police of their plans however and got a firm “no” in response.

        1. I admit I have a lot to learn about Israel, but I would think observing April 20th by smoking a joint in Israel would be an ironic way to observe Hitler’s birthday. And don’t try to tell me Israelis don’t appreciate irony. They’ve been watching a guy on Israeli TV, Guy Pines, with the most ironic name imaginable.

          1. Hey This Is Serious!!!!!!!!! (Stop trying to be funny on one of the saddest days of the year, on a webpage about one of the saddest day of the year)

            1. Apparently I was wrong. Some Israelis do not have a sense of humor at all. Tell me, how was I making light of the day in any way? My observations had everything to do with being skeptical of taking things too far into the fairy tale, mystical realm. I hate political correctness and the thought police. I suspect that every day is the saddest day of the year for you, pal.

              1. Mentioning “Israel” and “Hitler’s Birthday” in the same sentence on Yom Hazikaron (the day befor Israel’s Birthday) is highly disrespectful to the dead soldiers and terrorist victims, thats why i thinks your “making light of the day”!!!!!!!!!

                (oh right, Hitler was also a terrorist. Bringing the amount of Jewish/Israeli soldiers and terror victims killed since 1860 up from 22,000 to 6,022,000 !!! )

                1. I disagree with your conclusions, but you’re entitled to see things the way you do. I hope the rest of your day is meaningful to you and serves a positive purpose in your life.

  1. I attended a Yom Hazikaron ceremony today (on Yom Hazikaron), At a cemetery in the Mateh Yehuda District (in Israel). Everyone who was their, was a relation (parent, brother, sister, cousin, grandparent, uncle, aunt…….. )of a soldier that died, besides me and a few freinds + a rabbi. It was very Emotional.
    Every soldier in Israel has the right to be buried on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem for free. But if the family of the soldier wants him to be buried closer to their home, then they can do that……
    So the soldiers buried at that cemetery were all probably very close to their families.(this fact made me feel extra sorry for these families).
    The ceremony started off with the siren (the siren was a 2 miute siren heard all around Israel at 11 in the morning) followed by the recital of some Psalms and the “Kadish:”. (recited by fathers of dead soldiers).
    Next, one of the members of the Mateh Yehuda District Council read out Some Poems… and some stories about the soldiers. At the end everyone sang “Ani Maamin” and “Hatikva” (the Israeli national anthem) together.
    Inbetween each part of the ceremony people got up at lit candles in the soldiers memories. Their were also alive Israeli soldiers at the ceremony, all relatives of the dead soldiers. The soldiers were from all over the army. (the Defence Forces, Air Forces and Naval Forces)
    This/That ceremony and day is/was the most emotional one i have Attended/Lived.

    Zevi Lerer

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