Yom HaZikaron: Join us for a moment of silence

Text adapted from Rabbi Mike Uram, michael.uram@jewishfederations.org

Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, takes on new meaning this year for the Jewish people. The terrorist attack on October 7th, the war with Hamas, and the precipitous rise in antisemitism around the globe all contribute to a deeper awareness both of those who have died fighting for Israel and those who are still held captive by Hamas.

These are challenging times and it is easy to feel overwhelmed, angry, or hopeless. We need to remember that our people have survived moments like this in the past and found ways to thrive and transform suffering into wisdom and into the commitment to help others in need.

Yom HaZikaron is on the 4th of Iyyar, intentionally set as the day preceding Yom Ha’atzmaut—Israeli Independence Day—in order to remind us of the sacrifices made for the independent State of Israel. 

To honor our fallen soldiers and hostages still in captivity, we invite you to join us for a virtual moment of silence over Zoom on May 13th at 11:00 AM. To register for this event, please click HERE.

Like in Israel, our moment of silence will sound a 2 minute-long siren, followed by a selection of prayers and stories to guide you throughout the day. We hope this brief virtual gathering will bring light to our community.

Following Yom HaZikaron, we invite you to join us in person on May 19th at 12:00 PM at Madeline Park for our Yom Ha’aztmaut celebration. Please see our Community Calendar for more information.

Am Yisrael Chai.