Memorial Day, Independence Day, and some Army Training?

Memorial Day and Independence Day are incredibly important holidays in Israel, and are handled very interestingly.  Memorial Day yields different emotions than Independence Day, which can make it difficult considering Memorial Day was April 14^th, and Independence Day was right after, the 15^th.    

While many Americans associate big clothing sales and parades with Memorial Day, it is one of the saddest holidays in Israel.  It honors the 23,085 fallen soldiers beginning from the fight for Independence up until now, defending the country.  On this day, the radio stations only play melancholy music, show war-related films on TV, and shops, malls, theaters, and bars are closed. 

There are three times a year where a 1-2 minute alarm is sounded in Israel, all within a few weeks of each other.  The first is for Holocaust Remembrance Day, and the second and third are for Memorial Day.  It is a truly powerful moment, in which everyone stops what they are doing: walking, driving, talking etc.  They just stand and think about those that have sacrificed themselves for the small yet fearless country.  

After the alarm sounded in the evening, I went to a ceremony in City Hall, in which everyone was sitting on the lawn together, singing sad songs and watching videos in honor of fallen soldiers.  The next morning, I went to Mount Hertzl, the largest cemetery for soldiers in Israel.  Flowers are distributed to everyone to put on the graves.  People stand together, pray for their loved ones, tell war stories, and comfort each other.  

At the entrance to Mount Hertzl

 Only about six hours later, everyone rejoices and cheers for the start of Independence Day.  This year marks the 65^th year that this young country has become a Jewish State.  Barbecuing and watching fireworks are a few things that are a must on Independence Day.  24 hours after hearing the sad songs and watching videos in City Hall, people were Israeli dancing, singing happy songs, and partying with friends.  For some, the transition from mourning to celebrating is a difficult one, but for me it was nice to end the two days on a happy and sweet note.  

Everyone getting ready to Israeli dance in City Hall

This past weekend, I went on a hike with my aunt and two cousins in the Negev desert.  And in case you were curious, I did not have training for the army.  But the hiking was pretty difficult, more than I am used to.  Still a lot of fun!

The first site we went to was Mitzpe Ramon.  Mitzpe Ramon is a huge crater that was naturally created by Earthquakes thousands of years ago.  We did 4 hours of hiking in the warm weather (even though the rest of Israel was rainy and cold).  

The next day, we went to Sde Boker, a kibbutz in which David Ben-Gurion lived.  It’s also a beautiful place to hike, and on our second day, we hiked here for 6 hours.  

 

 The weather was a bit colder and windier, which is surprising for the desert mid-April.  The real surprising bit came at the end when the sunshine turned to an opaque grey, powerful winds, and rain splashing down on us.  My cousin informed me that we were caught in a sand storm.  Shorts and a T-shirt did not prepare me for this storm, and the sand was slapping my legs.  Luckily, I had a hat and sunglasses that shielded my eyes.  Aside from the discomfort, it was actually a really funny experience.  What got me through it was “finding my happy place,” all thanks to Happy Gilmore. 

 

After making it to the bus, waiting for everyone else, and embarking home, we got another surprise:  Two camels being transported by truck.  

All in all, a great week with a variety of emotions.