More holidays? More holidays!

I am constantly asking myself (and my boyfriend) "what holiday(s) is Israel observing this week?"

Cause, yeah, there are almost weekly holidays here.

Well, yesterday at sundown began Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day).
When that ends (at sundown today...sensing a pattern?) Yom Hatzma'ut (Independence Day) begins.

I love this time of year, because the holidays Israel observes are simultaneously somber and celebratory 

(Passover, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day).

What I love about these two days in particular is how meaningful and present these days are for the people of Israel as a collective, and the significance found in observing them side by side.

Yesterday, at 8pm, a siren rang out across the country (just like on Yom HaShoah), and again, the entire nation paused and remembered those 23,085 lives lost in service to the Jewish State. Another siren was heard this morning at 11am to mark the 'end' of the holiday.
Here's a video from this morning in Jerusalem. 

In such a tiny and new nation (only 65 years old today!)- not to mention one with such a bloody history- every Israeli knows someone who died in war. Memorial Day here is a somber day- television is filled with documentaries and special programming about individuals who died in battle, families telling of their sons and daughters whose lives were given so that a nation might live. 

Itzik asked me this morning "does America have a day like this?"

Sadly, no. For me, Memorial Day back home was only sad because I usually didn't have the day off of work. Only government employees and really lucky people got the day. Maybe there are some sales at the mall. But it's really more of an afterthought- a day imbued with half-significance. Also, the US is so big. You could go your whole life and not know one person who served in the military. People have lost touch with the fact that freedom comes at a price, a heavy price. And those who have paid it are all too easily forgotten.

But here in Israel, forgetting is not easily done. Nor should it be.

And then, Independence Day. This is truly a festive day.
Flags galore, roof parties, beaching, picnics (and alcohol)...

It is a lot like the 4th of July back home, but what I really love about Israel's Independence Day celebration is the fact that it comes IMMEDIATELY after Memorial Day.

Because in order to truly appreciate the freedom we have, we have to remember (and thank) those who fought for us to be free.

So, to Israel (my home away from home)
I wish you a very Happy 65th Birthday!
May you go from strength to strength. 
I'm proud to live here, and grateful you exist.

Independence Days

(photo taken from the IDF's facebook wall)

I have failed as a blogger to commemorate in a timely manner the independence days of both Israel (May) and America (July). So I'm going to try and hit both birds with this one stone.

Welcome to my Independence Days blog post!

In May I celebrated Israel's independence day by decorating my apartment and the walkway outside with festive flags and balloons. My neighbor/new friend Jessica and I decided to go to the market and Jew-out our building. It turned out really nicely.

Jessica and I are both Americans who moved to Israel and were celebrating our first Israeli Independence Day this year, and it was really lovely to have someone to get so excited about it with. We're both here because we love Israel, we support the State of Israel, and it was strange and exciting to feel patriotic about a country that I've CHOSEN to live in. I hope you enjoy our decorations as much as I did.

The 4th of July (last week) was a completely different experience for me. As an American living abroad, I'm learning that Americans and America don't always have the best reputation. Even here in Israel. Of course, the bond between Israel and the US is an important one, politically. And there's for sure an American/Western influence on Israeli society. But Americans have, I think all over the world, a reputation for being fat, lazy, spoiled, and self-righteous. Its been a difficult lesson to learn firsthand. Especially when my boyfriend makes sarcastic comments about it. Anyway- the holiday...

it didn't feel like a holiday to me. Probably because here, it isn't one, and I'm so used to feeling like I have to apologizing for being American. Unlike Thanksgiving, I didn't feel like I needed to celebrate the 4th of July, cause there was no way that it could really be the same. But, some friends from school threw a bbq in a park that evening, so I grabbed a few beers and decided to give it my best shot. And it was actually really fun. 

Mostly it was awesome cause I got to use sparklers! 

My parents never let me use those when I was growing up. In your face, Mom and Dad! I didn't get hurt!

After I tired to playing with fire, Libbie (my FAVORITE American around) came out and we went with Noa for burgers and french fries (does it get much more American? No.) at Mike's Place- the "American" bar on the seafront. It was lovely. All in all, the day helped me remember what truly makes me feel good about being American- pyrotechnics and greasy, cheesy food. 

I'm looking forward to both during the month of August, when I visit America for a month and can soak up all the grease and fun the good 'ol U-S-of-A has to offer.