On Yom Hazikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day), as the sun sets, Israel’s normally bustling streets begin to empty. Israelis all over the country start heading to ceremonies to commemorate the solemn memorial day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror.
At 8 pm sharp, sirens rings out across the land, the first of two that will be heard, the second at 11 am the next morning. At that moment, Israelis across the country stop what they are doing, wherever they are, and stand at attention — even if they are on the highway, Israelis stop their cars, get out, and stand in remembrance for 60 seconds.
The siren announces the beginning of a 24-hour mourning period throughout Israel.
In a country of just over 8 million people, every family and every citizen is connected personally, in some way, to the memorial day. Whether it be a soldier or a victim of terror, every person has someone or something to remember.
In the War of Independence in 1948, Israel lost one percent of its entire population. Flash forward to 2013, the number of those fallen soldiers and security and servicemen who died for the country stands at 23,085 since 1860, when the first Jews began settling outside of Jerusalem’s Old City walls.
We mourn their absence and we feel acutely the pain of our loss. We imagine the families they would have had, the homes they would have built, the grandchildren they would have given us.
We talk to them, we feel that they are here – but we know that they cannot talk back. Over the years the pain dulls somewhat but the emptiness never loses its depth.
On Yom HaZikaron, Israel also remembers the victims of countless terrorist attacks that have ruthlessly shattered the nation. Too easily, we forget that it could happen to us. Tonight, we remind ourselves that these people were going about their daily lives just like ours and that in one instant, it was all taken away from them. We remind ourselves of the sanctity of life and remember the heroes who sacrificed their own lives in order to prevent suicide bombers from murdering dozens more.
24 hours later, the sun begins to set once again. Suddenly, the mood changes. Thousands upon thousands of Israelis fill the streets again and begin to party. They set off fireworks, they dance, and they return the flags to full mast. Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) celebrations continue into the next day – the entire country is on holiday and enjoying itself. The great Israeli pastime, the mangal [BBQ], reaches its fullest expression.
But how can we make this switch so suddenly? Have we forgotten that but moments before, our hearts were heavy with grief for the family and friends that we lost, and continue to lose every year?
Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut are back-to-back for a purpose. The celebrations of independence are not empty or for their own sake. We celebrate with the acute awareness that without the incredible sacrifice of those we lost, there would be no State of Israel. Yom Hazikaron fills our Yom Ha’atzmaut with meaning – it compels us to push ahead, to continue to build, and to never take our lives, our families, or our friends for granted. It is because of the one that we have the other.
Without the mourning of Memorial Day we cannot have the celebration of Independence Day. Without our celebrating Independence Day and the continued effort by all of Israel combined to celebrate life to continue to make our country grow and prosper, then we risk belittling the sacrifice of those who perished.
Independence Day celebrations are not confined to Israel. For Jews around the world, celebrating the existence of the modern state of Israel is as important as observing other ancient Jewish holidays. From the United States and Canada to France and Argentina, local Jewish organizations representing all streams of Judaism celebrate Israeli independence.
66 years ago today, David Ben-Gurion stood in a hot and overcrowded Tel Aviv art museum and presented Israel’s Declaration of Independence to the delegations in the hall and to the world. All these years later, the citizens of Israel and Jews around the world celebrate Israeli independence, an independence that we achieved against all odds.
We remember the terrible price we have had to pay for our freedom, and because of the price, we value that freedom all the more intensely.
