Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israeli Independence Day, the declaration of the State of Israel, and the modern Jewish homeland
Yom Ha'atzmaut is the Israeli national day, observed on the 5th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, commemorating the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. The festival is marked by official ceremonies, the lighting of twelve torches representing the tribes of Israel, military parades, barbecues, and the singing of Hatikvah (the national anthem).
Federal holidayPublished October 18, 2026
- Observed in
- Where observed
- When
- Apr - May
- Frequency
- Same date every year
- Days off
- 1 day - federal workers / banks off
- Public status
- Federal / public holiday (banks + federal offices closed)
Yom Ha'atzmaut is the Israeli national day, observed on the 5th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, commemorating the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. The festival is marked by official ceremonies, the lighting of twelve torches representing the tribes of Israel, military parades, barbecues, and the singing of Hatikvah (the national anthem). A public holiday in Israel; observed by Jewish diaspora communities worldwide.
The one-line summary
The Israeli national day, observed on 5 Iyar (April-May), commemorating the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. A public holiday in Israel, observed with official ceremonies, military parades, and widespread public barbecues (mangal). Preceded by Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) and observed by Jewish diaspora communities worldwide. One of the most widely observed Jewish national holidays.
The declaration of 1948
The State of Israel was declared on May 14, 1948 (5 Iyar 5708), by David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, in the Tel Aviv Museum (now Independence Hall). The declaration marked the end of the British Mandate of Palestine, which had been established by the League of Nations in 1920 and was scheduled to end on May 15, 1948. The declaration was made in the presence of 250 invited guests, and was broadcast by radio to the Jewish community in Palestine and to the world.
The declaration was based on the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine (Resolution 181), adopted on November 29, 1947, which had recommended the partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. The plan was accepted by the Jewish Agency but rejected by the Arab Higher Committee, and the period between the adoption of the resolution and the declaration of the state was marked by civil war between the Jewish and Arab communities in Palestine. The declaration of the state was followed immediately by the invasion of the new state by five Arab armies (Egypt, Transjordan, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon), beginning the 1948 Arab- Israeli War.
The declaration was a watershed event in Jewish history, marking the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel for the first time in nearly 2,000 years (the last Jewish state in the region being the Bar Kokhba revolt, defeated by the Romans in 135 CE). The declaration was also a response to the Holocaust, in which six million Jews had been killed by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945, and was supported by the international community as a solution to the "Jewish question". The declaration was immediately recognized by the United States, the Soviet Union, and many other countries, and Israel was admitted to the United Nations in 1949.
Yom Hazikaron
Yom Ha'atzmaut is preceded by Yom Hazikaron (Israeli Memorial Day), observed on the 4th of Iyar. The two days are observed consecutively, with the transition from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha'atzmaut marked by a state ceremony that begins with the sounding of a siren at 8:00 PM and concludes with the lighting of the twelve torches on Mount Herzl at 9:00 PM. The pairing of the two days reflects the connection between the sacrifice of the fallen and the establishment of the state.
Yom Hazikaron is a day of mourning for the fallen soldiers of Israel and for the victims of terrorist attacks. The day is observed with a 24-hour period of mourning, with most entertainment venues closed, flags at half-mast, and the sounding of sirens at 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. The transition from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha'atzmaut is a distinctive feature of the Israeli national calendar, and is one of the most emotionally charged moments of the year.
How it is observed
Yom Ha'atzmaut is observed with several distinctive traditions, each with its own history and meaning. The most prominent are: (1) the official ceremony on Mount Herzl, including the lighting of twelve torches representing the tribes of Israel and speeches by political and military leaders; (2) the International Bible Contest for Jewish Youth; (3) the singing of Hatikvah (the national anthem) at the closing ceremony; (4) military parades, flyovers by the Israeli Air Force, and public gatherings in cities and towns across Israel; and (5) the Israeli barbecue (mangal), a widespread secular tradition of outdoor grilling on the eve of the festival.
The lighting of the twelve torches on Mount Herzl is the central ceremony of the day. The torches are lit by twelve Israeli citizens who have made significant contributions to the state, and the ceremony is attended by the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Knesset, the Chief Justice, and other senior officials. The ceremony is broadcast live on television and radio, and is one of the most-watched events of the Israeli year.
The Israeli barbecue (mangal) is a widespread secular tradition associated with the eve of Yom Ha'atzmaut. The tradition dates to the 1950s, when outdoor grilling became a popular way to mark the end of Yom Hazikaron and the beginning of the celebration. The barbecue is typically held in parks, public gardens, and backyards, and is attended by families, friends, and communities. The tradition is one of the most distinctive features of the Israeli national calendar, and is widely associated with the secular, Mediterranean culture of modern Israel.
The religious debate
The religious significance of Yom Ha'atzmaut is debated within the Jewish world. The religious Zionist movement (associated with Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and his son Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook) considers the establishment of the State of Israel to be the beginning of the redemption of the Jewish people, and Yom Ha'atzmaut to be a religious holiday of the highest order. The ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) movement, by contrast, has historically been more reserved, with some groups considering the establishment of the state to be a secular event and Yom Ha'atzmaut to be a non-Jewish holiday.
The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has ruled that Yom Ha'atzmaut should be marked with the recitation of the Hallel prayer (a prayer of praise and thanksgiving) and the reading of special prayers for the state, but the practice is not universally observed. Many religious communities, particularly in the diaspora, observe Yom Ha'atzmaut with formal synagogue services, the recitation of the Hallel, and special prayers, but the observance is often combined with the recitation of prayers for the fallen and for peace.
Related observances
Yom Ha'atzmaut is part of a cycle of Israeli national observances that includes Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day), Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day). The festival is also associated with the observance of Israeli Independence in Jewish diaspora communities, where the day is marked with formal synagogue services, community gatherings, and the recitation of special prayers. Yom Ha'atzmaut is one of the most widely observed Jewish national holidays, and is observed by Jewish communities in over 100 countries.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org, Independence Day (Israel).
- britannica.com, Yom Ha'atzmaut.
- knesset.gov.il, Declaration of Independence.
- myjewishlearning.com, Yom Ha'atzmaut 101.