One of the most interesting experiences I have ever had was being in Israel on Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Day of Remembrance) and Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independance Day).
The first day in this annual sequence is perhaps the most somber day in Israel, as the entire country memorializes the soldiers and civilians that died defending the country over the past 78 years.
Every Israeli has been touched in some way by this type of loss, and the mourning that takes place on Yom HaZikaron is sincere, deep, meaningful—and perhaps most importantly today—a reminder of the sacrifices made to ensure the Jewish people have a homeland.
Yom Ha’Atzmaut, on the other hand, is a National Day of Celebration filled with barbeques, picnics and general merriment. Families gather outside in the spring weather to be together and in some cases reserve the best spots in local parks days in advance.
This holiday overflows with joy and pride for what this amazing country has accomplished in a very short time. My one experience of being in Israel on these two days, back-to-back, certainly provided me with incredibly valuable perspectives on life and more importantly with hope.
The transition from the darkness of Yom HaZikaron to the light of Yom Ha’Atzmaut is pretty unique, in my experience, to being in Israel and/or being Israeli. While we American Jews observe both of these holidays it is not with the same intense emotions—both positive and negative—and thus we don’t always “get” the magnitude of these holidays’ importance.
Our Federation is committed to bringing as much knowledge about Israel to our Greater MetroWest community as possible through our Global Connections team.
This year we have two upcoming events that I highly recommend people attend. The first one is on Yom HaZikaron on April 29. The second one is a Yom Ha’Atzmaut block party on May 4.
Please join us for both of these events, and I assure you that any darkness you might see and experience at the former will be lit up with joy and a sense of hope shortly thereafter.
Shabbat Shalom