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71st Independence Day fireworks
‘Saluting the Israeli Spirit:’ Israel Celebrates its 71st Birthday
May 9, 2019
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Independence Day celebrations
Israeli achievements
Yom Ha’Atzmaut
The theme for Israel’s 71st anniversary “celebrates the unique Israeli spirit as expressed by the establishment of the State of Israel: overcoming difficulties against all odds.”
By Aryeh Savir, TPS
Israel kicked off its Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations on Wednesday evening, making the almost impossible transition from marking its Memorial Day for the IDF’s fallen soldiers and the Israeli victims of terrorism to celebrating its independence.
The theme for Israel’s 71st anniversary is “Saluting the Israeli Spirit.” Chosen by the Ministerial Committee for Ceremonies and Symbols, the theme “celebrates the unique Israeli spirit as expressed by the establishment of the State of Israel: overcoming difficulties against all odds.”
“The same spirit continues to motivate many Israelis to overcome difficulties, to excel, to succeed, and to transform personal hardship into an engine for activity and growth, inspiring society and contributing to a better Israel,” the Committee’s description explains.
Memorial Day ended before sunset on Wednesday with the national torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem that ushered in the 71st anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948.
Among the 12 honored torchbearers, representing the 12 biblical tribes of Israel, were Dr. Salman Zark, of the Druze village of Peki’in in the north who serves as the director of Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat and who served in the IDF’s Medical Corps for 25 years, as well as the mothers of Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaer and Naftali Fraenkel – three teens who were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas terrorists in the summer of 2014; Paralympian Moran Samuel; wounded IDF Col. Shai Siman-Tov; and Jeffrey Finkelstein, president of the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, the city that was the site of a deadly anti-Semitic shooting last year.
“You, each in his or her own unique way, symbolize our Israeli spirit; the Jewish, human and strong spirit of Israeli society which has led the State to great achievements,” Minister of Culture Miri Regev told them in a meeting earlier this week.
Celebrations during the day include a reception at the President’s residence honoring 120 excelling IDF soldiers, the International Bible Contest and the Israel Prize ceremony in Jerusalem.
The IDF opened some of its bases to the public, and the Israeli Air Force held a special flyover across the countr. The prevalent public display of celebration is the traditional Yom Ha’atzmaut picnics and barbecues.
This year, the IAF flyover passed over the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip and the southern communities as an expression of the IDF’s appreciation to the residents of the south for their steadfastness and resilience.
Similarly, Independence Day has the status of a minor Jewish holiday on which the Hallel prayer is recited and joyous prayers are held at synagogue services to thank God for the miracle that is the Jewish state.
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第71个独立日烟花
以色列庆祝其71岁生日
独立日庆祝活动
以色列的成就
约阿夫哈扎德
以色列71周年纪念活动的主题是“庆祝以色列建国所表达的独特以色列精神：克服各种困难”。
作者：Aryeh Savir，TPS
以色列星期三晚上开始了他们的YOM Ha’Atzmaut庆祝活动，使得几乎不可能从纪念以色列国防军阵亡士兵和恐怖主义受害者的阵亡纪念日过渡到庆祝以色列独立。
以色列71周年纪念日的主题是“向以色列精神致敬”。由仪式和符号部长委员会选出，主题是“庆祝以色列国家建立所表达的独特以色列精神：克服各种困难”。
委员会的描述解释说：“同样的精神继续激励许多以色列人克服困难、超越自我、取得成功，并将个人困难转化为活动和发展的引擎，激励社会，为更好的以色列做出贡献。”
阵亡将士纪念日在周三日落前结束，在耶路撒冷的赫尔兹尔山举行了全国火炬点燃仪式，庆祝1948年以色列独立宣言71周年。
在代表以色列12个圣经部落的12位著名火炬手中，有北部佩基因德鲁兹村的萨尔曼·扎克博士，他是Tzfat的Ziv医疗中心主任，在IDF的医疗队服役25年，以及Eyal Yifrach、Gilad Shaer和Naftali Fraenkel的母亲——三个2014年夏天被哈马斯恐怖分子绑架和杀害的青少年；瘫痪的莫兰塞缪尔；受伤的IDF上校沙伊西曼托夫；以及去年发生致命反犹枪击事件的匹兹堡犹太联邦主席杰弗里芬克尔斯坦。
文化部长米里·雷格夫在本周早些时候的一次会议上对他们说：“你们每个人都以自己独特的方式象征着我们的以色列精神；以色列社会的犹太、人类和强大的精神，正是这种精神使国家取得了巨大的成就。”
当天的庆祝活动包括在总统官邸举行的招待会，表彰120名杰出的以色列国防军士兵、国际圣经竞赛和耶路撒冷的以色列颁奖仪式。
以色列国防军向公众开放了一些基地，以色列空军在伯爵府举行了一次特别的飞越。最流行的庆祝活动是传统的Yom Ha’Atzmaut野餐和烧烤。
今年，国际田联的立交桥经过了加沙地带周围的社区和南部社区，以表达国际田联对南部居民的坚定不移和弹性的赞赏。
同样地，独立日也有一个小犹太节日的地位，在这个节日里，人们背诵哈雷尔祈祷，并在犹太会堂举行欢乐的祈祷，以感谢上帝创造了犹太国家的奇迹。
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