Yom Ha’Atzmaut: A Day of Celebration for All of Israel

A few minutes after sundown following Yom Ha’Zikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day), the Israeli flag on Mount Herzl is raised from half staff (in memory of the fallen soldiers and victims of terror) to the top of the pole, and Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) begins. Celebrated on the 5th day of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar, this is the anniversary of the day (corresponding to the Gregorian date of May 14, 1948) on which David Ben-Gurion publicly read the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

When the 5th of Iyar falls on a Friday or Saturday – as it does this year – the Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebrations are moved to the preceding Thursday to avoid having the holiday fall on a Shabbat. So, Miami Mega Mission participants will share in Yom Ha’Atzmaut festivities, starting with a truly magnificent Mega Event organized by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation on the grounds of the recently expanded Israel Museum on Wednesday night, April 25. In addition to a meaningful torchlight ceremony – emulating a similar one on Mount Herzl – the program will include a spectacular performance by renowned singer Shuly Natan, who popularized “Jerusalem of Gold.” The evening will culminate with a dazzling fireworks display from Mount Herzl, after which participants will board buses to continue Independence Day celebrations in Jerusalem.

Across Israel the following day, families celebrate the holiday with picnics, barbecues and hikes. Israeli flags are everywhere, and IDF camps are open for visits by civilians. At the end of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, the “Israel Prize” is awarded to individuals and organizations for their unique contributions to Israel’s culture and science, the arts and the humanities. In 2007 and 2008, two of Federation’s longtime overseas partners – the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel, respectively – were honored for lifetime achievements and special contributions to society and the State of Israel.