On May 29 at 8:00 PM, a one-minute memorial siren sounded throughout the country. After the siren, a candle-lighting ceremony took place at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, attended by President Isaac Herzog and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.

On May 30 at 11:00 AM, a two-minute Memorial siren will sound again. At this time, cars stop, and people on the streets stand still, bowing their heads in mourning. Immediately after the siren, at 11:02 AM, the central memorial ceremony for the fallen will begin at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Simultaneously, ceremonies will take place at military cemeteries throughout the country.

At 1:00 PM, a memorial ceremony for the victims of terrorist attacks and hostile actions will take place.

At 4:00 PM, a state memorial ceremony for the fallen underground fighters and executed fighters for independence will be held at the Museum of Underground Prisoners in Acre.

At 7:45 PM, a ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem will conclude the Memorial Day events and mark the beginning of the celebrations for Israel’s Independence Day. Traditionally, the main part of the ceremony is the lighting of torches in honor of the State of Israel.

Since 1860, when the struggle for the establishment of a Jewish state began, 25,420 people have died in self-defense operations and wars of Israel.

The Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces and all those who fought and died for the establishment of the Jewish state was established by the Knesset in 1963. It is observed annually on the 4th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, the day before Independence Day, emphasizing the inseparable connection between the heroism of the fallen and the steadfastness of the State of Israel.