Yom Hazikaron
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- Yom Hazikaron is also a traditional name for Rosh Hashanah.
Yom Hazikaron - Memorial Day (Hebrew: יום הזכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל ונפגעי פעולות האיבה, lit. Israel Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day) is an Israeli national holiday.
Yom Hazikaron is observed on the 4th day of the month of Iyar of the Hebrew calendar, always preceding the next day's celebrations of Israel Independence Day, Yom Ha-Atzma'ut, on the 5th day of Iyar, the anniversary of the Proclamation of the State of Israel in 1948. Both days may be moved one day earlier (the 3rd and 4th of Iyar) if the 5th happens to occur on a Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath
This holiday honors veterans and fallen military personnel of the Israel Defense Forces who died in the modern Arab Israeli conflict. Yom Hazikaron also commemorates civilians murdered by Palestinian acts of terror.
The day includes many national ceremonies for fallen soldiers in which senior public officials and military officers are present. The day opens the preceding evening at 20:00 (8:00 pm), given that in the Hebrew calendar system days begin at sunset, with a one-minute siren during which most Israelis stand in silence, commemorating the fallen and showing respect. Many national-religious (religious-Zionist) Jews say prayers for the souls of the fallen soldiers at this time as well. The official ceremony to mark the opening of the day takes place at the Western Wall, at which time the flag of Israel is lowered to half mast.
A two-minute siren is heard the following morning, at 11:00, which marks the opening of the official memorial ceremonies and private remembrance gathering which are held at each cemetery where soldiers are buried. The day officially draws to a close between 19:00 - 20:00 (7-8:00 p.m.) in the official ceremony of Israel Independence Day on Mount Herzl, when the flag of Israel is returned to full mast.
Scheduling the memorial day right before the independence day is supposed to remind people of the price paid for independence and of what was achieved with the soldiers' sacrifice. This transition shows the importance of this day among Israelis, among whom many if not most have served in the armed forces and has a connection with people who were killed during their military service.
Historically the date was chosen because during the first year of Israel's existence politicians were not able to agree on a date for a memorial day. As the year came to a close without a decision, the memorial day was celebrated on Israel's first independence day (1949), and the same arrangement was made the following year (1950). Celebrating the holidays together proved difficult (both logistically and emotionally), so in 1951, following the recommendation of a public commission, the memorial day was moved one day back. This arrangement was enacted as a law in 1963.
Certain sects of Haredi Jews do not attribute any specific significance to this day, however other Chareidi serve in the armed forces and celebrate the memorial day.
[edit] Yom Hazikaron in the Gregorian calendar
Yom Hazikaron is on 4th day of Iyar, but it varies from year to year in the Gregorian calendar:
[edit] See also
- Bereavement in Judaism
- Jewish holiday
- Remembrance Day (end of World War I)
- Veterans Day in other countries
[edit] External links
- "Izkor" - The state of Israel commemorates the fallen
- Remembrance Day--Independence Day -- Selected Readings
Shabbat · Rosh Chodesh · Rosh Hashanah · Fast of Gedalia · Yom Kippur · Sukkot & Hoshanah Rabbah · Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah · Hanukkah · Tenth of Tevet · Tu Bishvat · Fast of Esther & Purim · Fast of the Firstborn · Pesach · Counting of the Omer · Lag Ba'omer · Shavuot · 17th of Tammuz · The Three Weeks & The Nine Days · Tisha B'Av · Tu B'Av
National holidays of Israel: Yom HaShoah · Yom Hazikaron · Yom Ha'atzmaut · Yom Yerushalayim
