Yom HaZikaron is the day of national remembrance in Israel, which commemorates all the fallen soldiers who have lost their lives during the struggle to defend the State of Israel, and all terror victims. Yom HaZikaron, which goes by the Jewish calendar, begins with a siren sounding at 20:00 in the evening. As soon as the siren is heard, Israeli citizens stop whatever they are doing, wherever they are, and stand firm to honor those they’ve lost. People driving on highways stop their cars in the middle of the road to get out and stand in remembrance.

After the first siren, the State Memorial Ceremony begins at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff of the IDF, and the President take part in this ceremony. The next day, there’s another two-minute siren at 11:00 in the morning. This siren marks the beginning of private memorial ceremonies that take place in cemeteries or schools.