Yom Ha’atzmaut

“בארץ-ישראל קם העם היהודי, בה עוצבה דמותו הרוחנית, הדתית והמדינית, בה חי חיי קוממיות ממלכתית, בה יצר נכסי תרבות לאומיים וכלל-אנושיים והוריש לעולם כולו את ספר הספרים הנצחי.”

“ERETZ-ISRAEL – the Land of Israel, was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.”(Israeli Declaration of Independence, May 14, 1948)

Yom Ha’atzmaut (Hebrew:יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת),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.

Yom Ha’atzmaut is not a religious Jewish Holiday; however, in the State of Israel it is a formal holiday, so almost everyone has the day off.

Yom Ha’atzmaut in Israel is always preceded by Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for the fallen soldiers.

The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence– the very existence of the state– to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.

In the Old Testament, Israel is called “The Promised Land”. This term describes the land promised by God to the Israelites (Genesis 15:18-21)

Credits:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Independence_(Israel)