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Honor Israel’s Fallen

Honor Israel’s Fallen

Thousands of Jews globally take on acts of positivity and prayer in honor of Israel’s fallen ahead of Yom Hazikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day.

With the joy of independence comes the reminder of sacrifice and loss as Israel prepares to celebrate 72 years since the establishment of the Jewish State.

Yom Hazikaron, which falls this year from sundown on Monday 27th April to Tuesday 29th April, is Israel's Memorial Day for her fallen soldiers and victims of terror. It is a solemn time usually marked by large communal ceremonies not only in Israel but in Jewish communities all over the world. It’s a time where families and friends of the bereaved come together to pay tribute to the 23,786 fallen defense and security forces who gave their lives for the creation and protection of a Jewish State.

This year however, with communities restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic, communal gatherings of tribute and celebration have been canceled. Three years ago, Afikim Foundation and global Jewish outreach organization Olami, created an alternative way for the global community to participate in the memorial of the fallen which is suddenly more meaningful and poignant than before.  

This online platform is an interactive website that allows visitors to learn about the life of each of the fallen and honor him/her by performing a positive action in their honor. For example giving charity (Tzedaka) or performing acts of kindness. The family of the fallen soldier is informed about the deed and connected via email, if they desire.

This is an incredible opportunity for us to show our unity with Israel and give great comfort to thousands of bereaved – knowing that their loved one’s memory is being kept alive. In the past 3 years, Honor Israel’s Fallen has had over 35,000 positive actions performed and recorded on the site,” says Rabbi Butler, President of the Afikim Foundation.

The campaign is a project of Olami, in partnership with The Afikim Foundation, Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Yad Labanim and the organization for the IDF’s Widows and Orphans and has been endorsed by the Office of the President in a statement that was issued from Jerusalem on 23 April:

The involvement of so many of our Jewish brothers and sisters around the world in this act of commemoration and the help and support extended to the families of the fallen soldiers is a most significant expression of those ties that bind together all the members of the Jewish people, whether they live in one of the countries in the Diaspora or here in the State of Israel, the spiritual homeland of the Jews. On behalf of the State of Israel, I send you greetings from Jerusalem and our warmest appreciation for your most welcome participation in this project” Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel.

 

 

 

To join the campaign this Yom Hazikaron and perform a positive action in memory of one of the 23,786 soldiers and security forces who sacrificed their lives creating and defending the State of Israel visit https://honorisraelsfallen.com/

For more information email: lee-at@afikimfoundation.org