This evening in Israel marks the beginning of Memorial Day in Israel followed by Independence Day tomorrow evening.
This year it's different ... but the same!
The air raid sirens will sound for those 2 minutes
The parts of the country that have begun to open will stand still ...
The people still in their homes will stand in silence ...
There will be no ceremonies at the schools, no ceremonies at the cemeteries
Israelis will embrace this painful silence together-apart because that's what they do!
But Israelis are also used to ending their 24 hours of sadness with big celebrations of Independence Day but this year it's different ...
The air force fly-over will still take place but it will be smaller and will honor the healthcare workers as they fly over the hospitals
Flags will still be flown from balconies and in public but there will be no partying in the streets and no picnics in the parks
HOWEVER, Israelis are known for being resilient and creative!
Let's see what they figured out to make sure the celebration goes on, together-apart!
Happy 71st birthday Israel ... it's a birthday year so you've got all year to celebrate!
(Photos of Memorial Day / Independence Day - past and present)
Some of our travelers may recognize the memorial below during our tour with Ret. Colonel Kobi Marom, of the 73 soldiers killed in the 1997 fatal helicopter crash.
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