observed yearly on 27 Nisan - this year on April 12
On Yom haShoah, all across the country, there are ceremonies commemorating the loss of the six million. Each town, each school, each community has a ceremony to remember the people who were murdered.
Unlike Americans, who may not even know what it is until 8th Grade history class, Israeli children are raised learning about the Shoah from an early age. They know exactly what happened, and in fact, they probably know survivors or their children personally. On the afternoon of Yom haShoah, we attended a ceremony at Kibbutz Lohamei haGeta'ot (translates to Ghetto Fighters Kibbutz), which was founded by survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and which houses the world's first Holocaust Memorial Museum. There, they annually hold the largest memorial ceremony in the country. Thousands of people come from all over Israel to participate. In the picture above, you can see the packed amphitheater. (Click to make it bigger.)observed yearly on 4 Iyar - this year on April 19
Memorial Day here is an amazing experience. Since Israel has compulsory military service, there is virtually no one who hasn't had a friend or family member fall in battle. And unlike America, Israel's wars have been mainly unavoidable. In 1948, 1967, 1973, if Israel had lost, there would be no State of Israel. Every citizen would become homeless. For that reason, people here have a real appreciation for military service and this day takes on a special meaning. There is a unique observance here that I don't think could be replicated anywhere else. At 7:00 in the evening before Yom haZikaron, all the air raid sirens in the country sound for one minute. And at 11:00 in the morning, the sirens sound for two minutes. The entire country literally grinds to a halt for the duration of the siren. No matter what you are doing, you stop and think about the sacrifices of those before you. Stop shopping, stop eating, stop studying, stop driving. We went to downtown Nahariya to see it, and it is truly amazing. People just stop, in the middle of the sidewalk, in a crosswalk; drivers stop their cars in the middle of the street, get out, and stand at attention until the moment of silence has passed. It is one of the most moving things I have ever experienced, ever witnessed. [You can watch videos here, here, and here of the busy city of Tel Aviv stopping in its tracks.]
observed yearly on 5 Iyar - this year on April 20
Yom haAtzmaut is the day immediately following Yom haZikaron. Israeli society rapidly transitions from the most somber day of the year to the most festive day of the year. Honestly, I don't know how they do it. There are huge parties the night of Independence Day. At Yechiam, the celebration included a huge barbecue and fire show with words lit in flame commemorating Israel's 62nd year and Yechiam's 64th year, as well as "1394 days," recognizing how long Gilad Shalit has been held captive by Hamas. [As of May 23, the count is currently 1428 days.]
I find it very interesting how Israelis celebrate Independence Day. Everyone has a huge amount national pride, regardless of their feelings toward the government. Everyone has flags on their cars and houses. Patriotism and politics are isolated from each other (at least from my outsider's perspective). I think this is something we could use a bit more of in America. During the Bush administration in particular, if someone disagreed with the government, he was labeled as "unpatriotic." And now, certain factions label their ideological opposites, calling them Nazis, socialists, etc... It's just ridiculous. Why can't we respect each other and have a legitimate dialogue? Why do patriotism and dissent have to be opposites? Don't get me wrong: Israel certainly has its flaws, in governmental policies, as well as in general societal attitudes, but I think that this is one instance where we can learn from them.
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