Since 1860, the year that the first Jewish settlers left the secure walls of Jerusalem to build new neighbourhoods, over 23,000 men and women have been killed defending Israel. Over 2,400 of the fallen are victims of terror.
At 8:00P.M. on April 21st and at 11:00A.M. on April 22nd, a siren will sound across Israel. While it sounds, every citizen will stand in silence to honour the sacrifices of fallen soldiers, victims of political violence and victims of terror.
As Israelis mourn the loss of their loved ones, they also take comfort that their deaths were not in vain. In spite of past and continuing efforts to destroy it by enemies near and far, Israel continues to thrive as a nation.
At Jewish federations of Canada - UIA, we stand in solidarity with Israel, in times of mourning and of celebration. We recognize that it is only because of the sacrifices of the fallen that we are able to celebrate Israel today.
Yom Ha'atzmaut celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1948, when the State of Israel was established and the Jewish homeland was formally recognized by world leaders.
There is so much to celebrate on Israel's 67th birthday.
Israel is a world leader in many industries, especially technology. It is a country rich in cultural diversity that continues to attract new citizens from across the globe every day. It is a country that welcomes Jews with open arms, at any age, from every corner of the world. For Jews around the world, celebrating Yom Ha'atzmaut links them firmly to the land of Israel. For Israelis, it is a national holiday that connects them to each other.
Jewish Federations of Canada - UIA is very proud of its longstanding relationship with Israel. Every day of the year - alongside domestic and international partners and affiliates - we work to strengthen our connection to the Israel and to the global Jewish people.
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Chair, Jewish Federations of Canada - UIA |
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