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.
“May this prayer help open hearts and bring down walls of oppression for all humanity”
Prayer for the State of Israel updated to be inclusive of all its inhabitants
“Are there truly two Jerusalems?”
A prose poem describing an experience in the Carmel forest in Israel
Blessings for Israel to be used in the Amidah
A new haggadah for a Yom Ha’Atzmaut seder
A song inspired by listening to Palestinians tell their stories of hardship
Prayer for peace between Israelis and Palestinians
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