Yom Hazikaron
Yom Hazikaron is the name for Israel's Memorial Day (Hebrew: יום הזכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל ) is an Israeli national holiday.
Yom Hazikaron is watched on the 4th day of the month of Iyar of the Hebrew calendar, consistently foregoing the next day's commemorations of Israel Independence Day, Yom Ha-Atzma'ut, on the 5th day of Iyar, the anniversary of the Declaration of the State of Israel in 1948. Both holidays may be watched one day or two earlier (the 3rd and 4th, or the 2nd and 3rd, of Iyar) if either the 4th or the 5th happens to occur on a Saturday, the Shabbat. Likewise, both days are changed one day later if Yom Hazikaron would fall out on Sunday.
This holiday honors veterans and killed military personnel of the Israel Defense Forces and other Israeli security services who perished in the modern Arab Israeli wars, as well as fallen members of the Jewish Brigade, and of the various paramilitary organization of the Yishuv, such as the Haganah and Irgun, who perished prior to the formation of Israel, starting from 1860, when Mishkenot Sha'ananim, the first modern Jewish settlement outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, was built. Yom Hazikaron also recalls civilians murdered by acts of terrorism. As of Yom Hazikaron 2008, Israel honors the memory of 22,437 people who were killed in the line of duty including non combat related deaths during military service, an addition of 132 since 2007, and 1,635 civilian terror victims.
The day incorporates many national services for killed soldiers in which high ranking state officials and military officers are present. The day begins the prior evening at 8:00 pm, precondition that in the Hebrew calendar days commence at sunset, with a one-minute siren in the course of which the majority of Israelis stand in stillness, remembering the fallen in an exhibition of respect. Many religious-Zionist Jews say prayers for the souls of the fallen soldiers at this time as well. The executive function to mark the opening of the day takes position at the Kotel in Jerusalem, at which time the flag of Israel is taken down to half mast.
A two-minute siren is heard the next morning, at 11:00, which marks the opening of the official memorial ceremonies and individual remembrance gathering which take place at each graveyard where soldiers are laid to rest. The day formally draws to a close between 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the official service of Israel Independence Day on Mount Herzl, when the flag of Israel goes back to full mast.
Programming the memorial day right ahead of independence day is deliberate to call to mind people of the cost paid for independence and of what was obtained with the soldiers' sacrifice. This transformation indicates the significance of this day amid Israelis, the majority of whom have served in the armed forces or have a bond with people who were killed during their military service.
Historically, the date was selected since during the initial year of Israel's creation legislators were not able to agree on a time for a memorial day. As the year came to an end close with no conclusion, the memorial day was celebrated on Israel's first independence day in 1949, and the same order was made the following year in 1950. Commemorating the holidays jointly proved arduous in both the logistical and emotional senses, therefor in 1951, following the suggestion of a public commission, the memorial day was changed one day back. This order was decreed as a law in 1963.
Particular factions of Haredi Jews do not accredit any specific importance to this day. However, other Haredim serve in the armed forces and observe the memorial day.