The Next Set of Modern Jewish Holidays

Join us this week as we continue with two of our modern holiday celebrations: Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks, and Yom Haaztmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. Israel has a unique tradition of observing these two holidays consecutively, transitioning from honoring and mourning the dead to celebrating the creation of the Modern State of Israel.

In any given year, Yom Hazikaron in Israel is poignant, as few citizens have not lost a family member or close friend in one of Israel’s wars or the many terrorist attacks over the last seventy-five years. This year, Yom Hazikaron will be particularly somber due to the loss and devastation on October 7 and the ongoing war with Hamas, which continues to claim lives.

Yom Haaztmaut, typically a day of great joy and celebration, will be subdued this year. With an ongoing war and a hundred and thirty hostages still held in Gaza, most Israelis are not in a celebratory mood.

To observe this combination of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haaztmaut, we are honored to host Gil Hoffman, the editor-in-chief of Honest Reporting. Honest Reporting is a media watchdog focusing on holding media accountable in their reports about Israel and anti-Semitism. RSVP at this link to join us on Tuesday night, May 14th, at 7 PM. We hope you can join us for what promises to be an enlightening and educational talk by Gil Hoffman.

Shabbat Shalom