Today is Yom Hazikaron, Israeli Memorial Day.
Memorial Day in Israel is a national day of mourning, of remembering the fallen. The fallen are counted from the year 1860, when the size of the Jewish population in the Land of Israel exhibited sharp climbs in numbers. The fallen include soldiers who were killed in military operations, soldiers who died during their service from other reasons, and people who were killed during terrorist attacks both in Israel and abroad. At 20:00 on the night before, a siren rings throughout all of Israel, and then memorial services are held all over Israel. It is customary to stand during the siren. Cars usually stop on the road during the siren and the drivers get out. Another siren rings at 11:00 the next day (Yom Hazikaron itself).
Red everlasting, known in Hebrew as Dam Hamakkabim (the Blood of the Maccabees) is a flower that has long been a symbol of Yom Hazikron. According to legend, the flower first sprouted at a place where a drop of blood from a fallen Maccabee spilled. Many people wear stickers with a picture of the plant, and recently pins depicting the plant have also be distributed.
In recent years I've usually gone with my mom to visit her brother's grave before and during the daytime siren. He was killed in a car crash during his service.
Some songs associated with the day:
In memory of the fallen soldier Sean Carmeli:
(link to English lyrics and more songs)
In memory of the kidnapped teens Gilad Shaer, Naftali Frankel and Eyal Yifrach:
In memory of the fallen soldier Yehudah Weiner:
May their memories be a blessing.
תנצב"ה
Memorial Day in Israel is a national day of mourning, of remembering the fallen. The fallen are counted from the year 1860, when the size of the Jewish population in the Land of Israel exhibited sharp climbs in numbers. The fallen include soldiers who were killed in military operations, soldiers who died during their service from other reasons, and people who were killed during terrorist attacks both in Israel and abroad. At 20:00 on the night before, a siren rings throughout all of Israel, and then memorial services are held all over Israel. It is customary to stand during the siren. Cars usually stop on the road during the siren and the drivers get out. Another siren rings at 11:00 the next day (Yom Hazikaron itself).
Red everlasting, known in Hebrew as Dam Hamakkabim (the Blood of the Maccabees) is a flower that has long been a symbol of Yom Hazikron. According to legend, the flower first sprouted at a place where a drop of blood from a fallen Maccabee spilled. Many people wear stickers with a picture of the plant, and recently pins depicting the plant have also be distributed.
In recent years I've usually gone with my mom to visit her brother's grave before and during the daytime siren. He was killed in a car crash during his service.
Some songs associated with the day:
In memory of the fallen soldier Sean Carmeli:
(link to English lyrics and more songs)
In memory of the kidnapped teens Gilad Shaer, Naftali Frankel and Eyal Yifrach:
In memory of the fallen soldier Yehudah Weiner:
May their memories be a blessing.
תנצב"ה
