Israeli Independence Day: Yom Ha'Atzmaut

On the fifth day of the month of Iyar, Israeli Independence Day celebrates the founding of the State of Israel. Originally corresponding to the date May 14, 1948, Yom Ha’Atzmaut commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv. Many rituals and prayers have been added to traditional liturgy to mark this historic occasion, including the Prayer for the State of Israel and the Prayer for Peace. As Israel’s sovereignty did not come without a cost, Yom Ha’Atzmaut is celebrated the day after Yom Ha’Zikaron (Israeli Memorial Day), which honors those who lost their lives for the establishment of the Jewish state. Today, as tension and unrest continue to define the state of affairs between Israelis and Palestinians, we turn to ritual, prayer, and poetry as a container for our hopes and dreams for peace and safety.

Latest Rituals

“May we remember that there is no future for any of us without all of us.”
view from above of the mediterranean coast at Jaffa
“The stones are full of mystical light”
view of jerusalem western wall sunlit day with blue sky
“Open our hearts and minds as wide as canyons”
Bridge to Peace

Prayer for Israeli leaders to work toward peace

A Prayer for the Leadership of Israel

“Dear God, help us look, / look closer so that we may see / our children in their children”

No Pain Like My Pain

“My body, this wall of Herodian stone …”

Overlooking Jerusalem

Prayer for peace and acknowledgment of the suffering of Palestinians

a protest for peace

Praying for a peaceful and just future for the world

A Prayer for Reparation and Restoration

“the map is the shape of our children”

Middle Eastern Geography: A Prayer for the Cessation of Annexation

The Reconstructionist Network

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.