A Prayer for the Israel Defense Forces on Yom Hazikaron - Israel's Memorial Day

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is always preceded by Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence — the very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.

This year Yom HaZikaron begins tonight and will be observed Wednesday until nightfall when the Yom HaAtzmaut festivities begin and continue through Thursday night.

To mark Yom Hazikaron we're sharing a video of Shulem Lemmer singing Mi Sheberach L'Tzahal, the prayer for the Israel Defense Forces, set to the melody of Eretz Tzvi, originally made popular by singer Yehoram Gaon.

Shulem Lemmer, known professionally simply as "Shulem," is an American Belz Hasidic singer from Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City. He is the first born-and-raised Haredi Jew to sign a major record contract with a leading label, Universal Music Group, under its classical music Decca Gold imprint.

Before becoming a full-time singer, Lemmer was marketing director at a technology firm start-up based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He has also worked as a cantor during the High Holidays at Congregation Ahavath Torah, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey.

A Break from Humor on Yom Hazikaron - Israel's Memorial Day

Last Monday it was Yom Hashoah - Holocaust Remembrance Day, and tody it's Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day. 

We think it's inappropriate to start this week off with a joke, our usual Monday posting, when everything stops throughout Israel for two minutes at 11 am, to remember Israel's fallen soldiers.

So we're taking a day off from jokes and humor to share a few minutes of silence in solidarity with our family and friends in Israel as they pause to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to insure a life of freedom and happiness for all who live there.

These two minutes of silence were in Yavne, a city on the Mediterranean coast between Tel Aviv and Ashdod, this morning at 11 am Israel time to remember fallen IDF soldiers and police.

Tomorrow is Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, the most festive day of the year, which starts immediately at the conclusion of Yom Hazikaron. We'll be back with appropriate content to celebrate Israel's 76th birthday.

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

A Prayer for the Israel Defense Forces on Yom Hazikaron

Tonight is the start of Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, which lasts until Tuesday evening. All schools have special plays and ceremonies on Yom HaZikaron, enacted into law in 1963. 

While the day has been traditionally dedicated to fallen soldiers, commemoration has also been extended to civilian victims of terrorism. 

As the sad day ends, the country is transformed at nightfall into all night partying that lasts through the following day to commemorate the founding of the state 75 years ago.

At many of the memorial ceremonies, names are read, photos projected on screens and walls, prayers are read and appropriate songs are sung. 

We're doing our part at Jewish Humor Central on Yom HaZikaron, by abstaining from humor for the day and posting a rendition of the Prayer for the Welfare of Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) by the a cappella group Six 13 and Cantor Chaim Dovid Berson.

Mi Sheberach is a prayer for the soldiers of Israel's Defense Forces that is sung to the tune of El Eretz Tzvi by Yehoram Gaon.  

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

A Break From Humor on Yom Hazikaron - Israel's Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is always preceded by Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence — the very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.

This year Yom HaZikaron begins tonight and will be observed tomorrow until nightfall when the Yom HaAtzmaut festivities begin and continue through Thursday night.

To mark Yom Hazikaron we're sharing a video of Cantor Israel Nachman and the Estonian National Male Choir singing Mi Sheberach L'Tzahal, the prayer for the Israel Defense Forces, set to the melody of Eretz Tzvi, originally made popular by singer Yehoram Gaon.

Cantor Nachman serves as cantor at the Tel Aviv International Synagogue (TAIS-Temple Beth El) and is well-recognized for his talents, having given concerts all over Europe.

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Eretz Tzvi - A Song for Yom HaZikaron - Israel's Remembrance Day

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is always preceded by Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence — thebb very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.

This year Yom HaZikaron began last night and will be observed today until nightfall when the Yom HaAtzmaut festivities begin and continue through tomorrow night.

To mark Yom Hazikaron we're sharing a video of IDF Chief Cantor Shai Abramson singing Eretz Tzvi, originally made popular by singer Yehoram Gaon.

The song is about Mivtza Yonatan, an operation to rescue hostages from Entebbe airport in Uganda on July 4, 1976. Air France flight 139 from Tel Aviv was hijacked after its Athens stopover, diverted to Libya and ended up in Idi Amin airport.

Originally named Mivtza Entebbe, the mission was later named in honor of Yonatan Netanyahu (brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) who died in the operation.

In 1977 a movie was made of the mission - "Operation Thunderbolt."

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

On Israel's Memorial Day, a Prayer for the Israel Defense Forces by HaZamir

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is always preceded by Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence — the very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.

This year Yom HaZikaron begins tonight and will be observed tomorrow until nightfall when the Yom HaAtzmaut festivities begin and continue through Thursday.

To mark these two important dates in the Jewish calendar, today we're sharing a special video of the 300+ voices of the HaZamir high school choir singing David Burger's T'fila L'Tzahal - The Prayer for the Israel Defense Forces. The song is conducted by Dr. Marsha Bryan Edelman, Conductor of HaZamir Philadelphia and accompanied by Scott Stein, Conductor of HaZamir Manhattan. It was sung at the HaZamir Gala Concert in Carnegie Hall in 2016.

Tomorrow we'll celebrate Israel's 70th birthday.

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

A Prayer for the Israel Defense Forces by Chief Cantor Shai Abramson on Yom Hazikaron

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is always preceded by Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence — the very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.
 
This year Yom HaZikaron begins tonight and will be observed tomorrow until nightfall when the Yom HaAtzmaut festivities begin and continue through Tuesday.

To mark these two important dates in the Jewish calendar, today we're sharing a special video of Shai Abramson, Chief Cantor of the IDF, singing the prayer for Israel's soldiers at the Western Wall. Tomorrow we'll celebrate Israel's 69th birthday. 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

A Prayer for the State of Israel as it Observes Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is always preceded by Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence — the very existence of the state — to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.

This year Yom HaZikaron began last night and will be observed today until nightfall when the Yom HaAtzmaut festivities begin and continue through tomorrow night.

To mark these two important dates in the Jewish calendar, today we're sharing a special video of Cantor Netanel Hershtik singing the T'fila L'Shlom Medinat Yisrael (Prayer for the State of Israel). Tomorrow we'll celebrate Israel's 68th birthday with a video picture postcard of Israel as you've never seen it before.


(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)