Jewish Federation of Delaware Staff, with information from MyJewishLearning.com
We all know and are familiar with the conventions of many major Jewish holidays—Pesach, Chanukah, Rosh Hashanah, and the like. But there are a few holidays, that entered Jewish life during the second half of the 20th century that can be overlooked when discussing the Jewish calendar. Many of these holidays are shaped by the events of the Holocaust and/or the rebirth of the State of Israel. As we continue living through tempestuous times, we must choose to participate in both joyous and sad observances, following our dedication to never forget the events of the Holocaust and the Israeli War of Independence and to celebrate the existence of Israel as the Jewish State.
Yom Hashoah
Yom Hashoah—Holocaust Remembrance Day—is observed one week after the conclusion of Passover, on the 27th of Nissan. Significantly, it is also halfway between the first day of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising—which began on the first day of Passover in 1943—and Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. This date, chosen by the Israeli government, emphasizes the nature of Jewish resistance. While the rituals for this holiday are still being created, it is a solemn day that is widely observed wherever Jews live.
Yom Hazikaron
Yom Hazikaron—Israeli Memorial Day—is observed one week after Yom Hashoah and one day before Yom Ha’atzmaut. It is a quintessentially Israeli holiday, commemorating all the soldiers who fell in defense of Israel from the Israeli War of Independence in 1948 to the present. While it is often acknowledged outside of Israel, it is in Israel itself that this holiday unites the whole country in its somber observance.
Yom Ha’atzmaut
Directly following Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha’atzmaut is a joyful celebration of Israel’s independence. It is celebrated annually on the fifth day of Iyar, which in 1948 corresponded to May 14, the day on which David Ben Gurion, the nation’s first prime minister, announced the creation of the State of Israel. Yom Ha’atzmaut is celebrated both in Israel and in Jewish communities throughout the world.
CALLOUT BOX:
Each year on Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Jewish Community of Delaware joins with the general community to pause, reflect, and remember the six million Jews who were murdered in the Nazi Holocaust. DERECH, the Delaware Association of Rabbis and Cantor, together with the Halina Wind Preston Holocaust Education Committee organize the program which includes speeches by elected officials, prayers, poems, and the lighting of candles.
