Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut

Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day)

 (April 23, 2015)

Following World War II and the establishment of the state of Israel, four new holidays, referred to as ‘modern’ Jewish holidays have been added to the Jewish calendar. Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day), Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day) and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) are observed as national holidays in Israel, and recognized around the world by Jewish communities.

Yom HaZikaron was set aside on the day before Yom HaAtzmaut as a time of memorial for soldiers who lost their lives fighting in the War of Independence and in other battles or wars.

In Israel, it is a solemn day in which all places of entertainment and many businesses are closed. Two-minute sirens are sounded throughout the nation, one in the evening marking the beginning of the holiday and one prior to a public national memorial ceremony.

Continue reading.

Yom Ha'atzmaut: Israel Independence Day

 (April 24, 2015)
Israel's Independence Day is celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Iyar, which is the Hebrew date of the formal establishment of the State of Israel, when members of the "provisional government" read and signed a Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv.

The original date corresponded to May 14, 1948.

Most of the Jewish communities in the Western world have incorporated this modern holiday into their calendars, but some North American Jewish communities hold the public celebrations on a following Sunday in order to attract more participation. In the State of Israel it is a formal holiday, so almost everyone has the day off.

Continue reading.


To read and learn more about both holidays, check out our Spring Holidays Kit or Check out Jvillage’s Modern Jewish Holiday page    page.