Hundreds of Israeli flags are in place; the air force has been rehearsing its formation fly-by routine for days; platforms and sound systems stand ready in the main squares in town; groups of tourists mill about and there’s a discernible festive air.
But before celebrations of Yom Ha-Atzmaut, Israel’s 65th Independence Day, take place on Tuesday, April 16, the nation will pay tribute to those who fell in battles and terror attacks that continue to claim lives every year.
Officially known as Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day, Yom HaZikaron takes place the day before Yom HaAtzmaut. A piercing siren brings the country to a complete standstill at 8 p.m., then again at 11 a.m. the next morning for two minutes of silent remembrance.
The abrupt change in atmosphere between the two days is stunning and uniquely Israeli.
On Yom HaZikaron, all Israeli places of entertainment, cafés and restaurants are closed. Authorities estimate that more than 1 million Israelis visit military cemeteries during the day. Some 23,000 soldiers and civilians have died in the 65 years of statehood, leaving 10,550 families to join the ranks of the bereaved.
The central memorial ceremony takes place in Jerusalem as evening falls, and hundreds of bereaved families gather in the Western Wall plaza.
The flag flies at half-mast and the memorial flame flickers boldly in front of the subdued crowd. The Kotel is bereft of the usual worshippers, replaced by rows and rows of men and women with profound sadness in their eyes and pain etched into their faces.
Toward the close of the somber day, the heavy mood slowly begins to lift as Israelis emerge to celebrate the state’s birthday.
As night falls, hundreds of Jerusalemites dressed in blue and white stream into synagogues all over the city for special prayers of thanksgiving in honor of Independence Day. The close of the brief prayer service is the ancient call, “Next year in a rebuilt Jerusalem,” followed by a prayer of gratitude and a joyful rendition of the “Shir Hama’alot” psalm sung to the tune of “Hatikvah,” the Israeli national anthem.
As the congregations pour out onto the street, all the pent-up feelings from the difficult day of remembrance give way to celebration of the continued Jewish existence in this land.
Just an hour after dark, stages in neighborhoods all over Jerusalem come to life featuring a variety of music and entertainment. Downtown streets are closed off for the night, taken over by the preteens whose idea of fun is spraying buildings and passersby with white sticky spray.
Two main stages set up in the city’s Independence Park and in Zion Square feature Israel’s most popular musical groups. The plaza in Safra Square, home of the municipality, is set aside for traditional Israeli dancing.
Meanwhile, the official Independence Day opening ceremonies are getting underway at Mount Herzl, adjacent to the military cemetery that was the scene of grieving only hours earlier. Dozens of representatives of Israel’s armed forces take part in a meticulously choreographed march set to patriotic music. The formality of the ceremony is very un-Israeli.
Around 10 p.m., crowds start to congregate on King George Street in anticipation of the main fireworks display set off from the roof of the Leonardo Plaza Hotel. In two 10-minute sessions, the sky lights up with an awesome array of pyrotechnics.
Many of the revelers head down to the Jerusalem Theater after the fireworks, joining a free sing-along of Israeli classics.
The next morning, folks head out to parks and beaches for the traditional “mangal,” or barbecue. Regular radio updates report on the traffic gridlock. By midday, several national parks are closed because there’s nowhere to squeeze in another vehicle.
Yom HaAtzmaut is the one time in the Israeli year that feels like an American weekend, a day of pure recreation with no religious obligations: no newspapers, banks or mail to take minds off the all-important task of finding the best place to set up the portable barbecue.
When Israelis finally get to celebrate Independence Day next week, it will be with the usual mix of emotions that accompany every holiday in the State of Israel — joy and sadness, appreciation and remembrance and, above all, incredulity that Israel has made it to 65.