Yom Hazikaron in Israel: May 10th-11th, 2027

Yom Hazikaron is Israel’s Official Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. Falling either in late April or early May every year, Yom Hazikaron is an especially solemn time marked by ceremonies and moments of silence across the country. This year, it will run from sundown May 10th to sundown May 11th, and is followed immediately by Yom HaAtzmaut, Israeli Independence Day.

Yom Hazikaron begins at sundown (8.00 pm) when a siren is sounded across the country for one minute. Everybody stops what they are doing, including cars driving on the highway, and observes the silence to show their respect and remember the fallen. That evening, the official State Ceremony to mark the start of Yom Hazikaron takes place at the Western Wall (the Kotel) in Jerusalem. Unlike in many other countries, Israel’s wars have taken place at home, and being a small country, almost everybody knows somebody who died in the country’s wars, making Yom Hazikaron an incredibly personal time of remembrance.

The following day, a siren sounds for two minutes at 11:00 am, and again the country stops to remember. Following this, memorial ceremonies take place across the country - either public or private- to remember the country’s fallen. That evening, between 7 and 8:00 pm, another state ceremony takes place, this one at Mount Herzl, Israel’s National Military Cemetery. This ceremony marks the end of Yom Hazikaron, and the beginning of Yom Haaztmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, a day which contrasts dramatically with what preceded it and is a strong reminder of the price Israel has paid and continues to pay for her independence.

Many ceremonies normally take place on Yom Hazikaron; here are a few of the most iconic: