Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day)
The sun has set on Israel’s 60th Independence Day celebrations, but my ears are still ringing from the fireworks shows last night – and my belly is still stuffed from the barbeques today.

Last night, at 8 p.m. Israel officially said goodbye to Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) and kicked off the start of the 60th Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day) in grand fashion. Every municipality across the country hosted multiple fire works shows – in fact, from my rooftop balcony, I was able to catch at least 4 different displays from neighboring towns.

The rest of the night was like one big traveling band: Israel’s favorite pop artists from today and yesteryear headed out on their annual one-night-only tour. Popular singers like Danny Sanderson and Gidi Gov knocked out 30-minute sets and then quickly moved on to the next city – which I guess is one of the advantages of being a super star in a country where 80 percent of the population lives within 2.5 hours or each other.

Today, every single soul in Israel celebrated independence in precisely the same fashion: With a barbeque. Not the most vegetarian-friendly holiday, Yom HaAtzmaut is universally celebrated over a plate of charred skewers. (My barbeque host ironically called today “The Festival of Beef”.) While many patriots prefer elbowing with their fellow countrymen for space at one the country’s national parks, I took the cushier route and accepted an invitation to a cookout in someone’s backyard.

Earlier in the day, there were parades and more concerts – and even a fun local exhibition of the Tank Corps. Soldiers let kids clamor up to the top of their armored vehicles and demonstrated krav magah techniques.

Whether you’re a die-hard patriot or not, the 60th Yom HaAtzmaut was undoubtedly a moving day – filled with the comraderie that comes from being a part of something bigger than yourself. That, and eating too many hotdogs.

Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day)
At 8 o’clock tonight, a piercing minute-long siren jarred me out of my daydreaming as I washed up the dinner dishes.  That siren, like the one last week on Yom HaShoah, is intended to do just that: Jar us. Startle us.  Drown out every distraction so that we focus our minds and hearts on the personal pain and national tragedy of Israel’s fallen soldiers.

The Yom HaZikaron siren reconnects Israel’s 7 million citizens with the loss of the 22,437 soldiers who have been killed in combat. Since last Yom HaZikaron, 132 more soldiers have been killed.

Regardless of your politics, the reality of loss is at times staggering. I don’t know a single person here who is untouched by it.  Everyone knows someone – a friend, a colleague, a parent, a sibling, a child – who has been killed or wounded in the army.

In Israel, all 18 year-olds, boys and girls alike, are conscripted into the army.  Men serve for three years of active duty – and another 20 years of reserve duty.  Women serve at least two years.  The country has fought seven wars in its 60 years of existence.

This Yom HaZikaron, more than around one and a half million people will visit a military cemetery – that’s one in every seven citizens (an astonishing statistic for me, as an American, who grew up so removed from the fundamental message of Memorial Day.)

Tomorrow at 11 am, the nation will honor another two minutes of silence, after which 40-some memorial ceremonies will take place at each of the nation’s military cemeteries.  Television and radio stations dedicate their programming tonight and tomorrow to remembering the fallen soldiers. Entertainment venues are closed.  There is an air of mournful respect for all – profound personal loss for many.

At 8 pm tomorrow night, Memorial Day will come to a close and Israel will begin celebrating its 60th Independence Day. This transition – from mourning to rejoicing – reminds the nation that from death comes life.  For 25 hours, Israelis mourn their fallen soldiers.  And then they allow themselves to celebrate the gift of national independence.

photo credit: flickr

Passover
Today is the 1st day of Passover (which began last night). The 8 day observance commemorates the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II.

A time of family gatherings and lavish meals called Seders, the story of Passover is retold through the reading of the Haggadah. With its special foods, songs, and customs, the Seder is the focal point of the Passover celebration.

Join us for our updated Passover 2008 celebration - Passover on the Net

Passover
Tonight is the 1st night of Passover, the 8 day observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II.

A time of family gatherings and lavish meals called Seders, the story of Passover is retold through the reading of the Haggadah. With its special foods, songs, and customs, the Seder is the focal point of the Passover celebration.

Join us for our 2008 Passover celebration - Passover on the Net