On the Jewish calendar: 5th of Iyyar (Apr-May)
This is a very young and modern holiday, relatively speaking. This day is also known as Israel’s Independence Day. Like July fourth to the United States, this day is met with much patriotism and joyous celebration of the Israeli national identity. After centuries (almost two millennia) of persecution, exile and rejection from other nations, the Jewish people were finally granted their own land again. In this land, Israel triumphantly declared her own independence in 1948. Upon this momentous occasion, Ben Gurion declared Yom Ha’Atzmaut, the official day of Israel’s independence, with these words:
The Land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here the spiritual, religious and national identity was formed. Here they achieved independence and created a culture of national and universal significance. Here they wrote and gave the Bible to the world…. Exiled from Palestine, the Jewish people remained faithful to it in all the countries of the dispersion, never ceasing to pray and hope for their return and restoration of their national freedom. Accordingly, we, the members of the National Council met together in solemn assembly today and by virtue of the national and historic right of the Jewish people and with the support of the resolution of the General of the United Nations, hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine to be called Israel…. We offer peace and amity to all neighboring states and their peoples and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all… With trust in the Rock of Israel, we set our hands to this declaration at this session of the Provisional State Council in the city of Tel Aviv on Sabbath Eve, 5th Iyyar 5708, 14th day of May 1948 (Jewish Virtual Library).
The announcement was broadcast to a vast world audience. Within twenty-four hours, several neighboring Arab countries banded together, declaring war on the infant State. Many feared for Israel, as the Arabs threatened less of a war and more of a slaughter, another holocaust of sorts due to the odds (one hundred to one). Nevertheless, Israel was not so easily vanquished. Their stake to their land was upheld-they survived a battle that proved to be nothing short of a miracle in their favor. Notwithstanding, the battle was still a bloody one. Many of Israel’s sons died as soldiers in that fight. Thus, a memorial day for fallen soldiers (Yom Hazikaron) immediately precedes Yom Ha’atzmaut. Memorial Day gives way to Independence Day as the sun slips beneath the horizon. The significance of the proximity of these two important days is simply thus: if not for the sacrifice of the fallen soldiers, an independent Israel would not exist. The nation of Israel mourns and remembers the fallen and then celebrates that costly freedom that the blood of those precious lost has bought. Yom Ha’atzmaut is additionally important to many religious Jews due to the prophecy that such a unification and re-establishment of the nation of Israel would precede ultimate redemption-the coming of the long awaited messiah.
MODERN ISRAEL IN PROPHECY
Moses predicted both the exile of the Jewish people from “the land” as well as their return (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). The Jewish people have been scattered around the globe for almost two thousand years and yet are gathered again as one nation and one people with their Hebrew tongue being spoken once more as not just a religious dialect, but as an everyday language.This alone puts modern Israel into the context of prophecy for many. Thousands of nations and peoples have come and then disappeared since ancient times, yet few remain-and none who have been so actively persecuted as the Jewish people. For thousands of years, other nations and national leaders have sought to minimize Jewish numbers or to eradicate them altogether. Typified in scripture as the Egyptian Pharaoh and Haman of Persia and also by those such as Hitler and Hamas in more recent times, the enemies of the Jews have sought diligently and systematically to erase the Jewish nation. The sheer fact that the Jewish people remain through all this over time is a testament to their divine promise and the prophecy surrounding the Jewish people.
TRADITIONAL OBSERVANCE
As mentioned above, Yom Ha’Atzmaut is greeted at the dawn of Yom HaZikaron. One holiday merges into the other with a corresponding significance that lends itself to a deeper appreciation of the overall theme of Israeli nationalism. On this day, Israelis are not alone in celebration. Jews the world over observe the day in showing solidarity with Israel. In Israel, if the holiday falls on a Friday or Shabbat, it is celebrated the previous Thursday. Like the Americans during the Fourth of July, Israelis celebrate with parades, parties, fireworks and the singing of their national anthem (HaTikvah). As previously mentioned, the day is greeted with ceremonies to include the festivities and speeches on Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, as Yom HaZikaron fades.
For Jews outside of Israel, it is commonly celebrated on the closest Sunday with many Israeli-themed festivities and dishes.Often a quiz with questions centered on Israel is featured so as to increase the awareness of Israel and the many benefits it has contributed to the modern world. The celebrated independent and unique identity of Israel helps to answer the question posed by Israelis, as “who are we?”
Religious traditions are slower in developing. The actual spiritual character of the day is still under scrutiny and debate,as differing Jewish circles have yet to come to a common religious assessment of the day. As time progresses, certainly more tradition will develop around the day. For now, the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel has prescribed the singing of Psalms and a reading of a prophetic portion of scripture. Many Jewish congregations include such special readings and a singing of the HaTikvah while most of the Ultra-Orthodox, who believe the State of Israel is nothing more than a synthetic invention created by human hands, do not agree with this observance.