Preserve the memory of your loved one with a plaque on our Yahrzeit Wall. Learn More ->

Search
Close this search box.

Israeli Independence Day: Yom Ha'Atzmaut

People celebrating outdoors with an Israeli flag in the background.

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”
Hands gently holding a pink flower.

Prayer for Israeli leaders to work toward peace

Flag waving at sunset on a rocky hilltop, with a dramatic sky and sun rays in the background.

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

Group of people holding hands in a circle outdoors, with trees and a bright sun in the background.

“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

Three people holding hands outside on a sunny day, with a clear blue sky and trees in the background.

“the map is the shape of our children”

View of a historic stone fortress with a cityscape in the background under a cloudy sky.

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

Get the latest from Ritualwell

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

The Reconstructionist Network