Havurah Shalom

We are, once again, coming up to the dates when Palestine and Israel each has a national day of remembrance to mourn the consequences of the ongoing violence. Israelis mourn on Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) and Palestinians on Nakba Day (Day of Catastrophe).  Each year Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle Families Forum organize the Joint Memorial and Joint Nakba Remembrance ceremonies, through which they can grieve together, catalyze transformation, and strengthen their shared resolve to create a just peace.

Last year, Havurah’s Israel/Palestine Committee became a co-sponsor of the Joint Memorial Ceremony and will again this year. We encourage Havurah members to watch the ceremony live with us Sunday, May 12, at 10:30 am at Havurah by RSVPing below, or at home by registering here to receive a link to the online broadcast.

We will also gather at Havurah Shalom on Wednesday, May 15, at 10 am to watch the Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony live. Please RSVP at this page for that event. You can register here to view the broadcast online from home.

The Joint Memorial Ceremony is the largest Israeli-Palestinian jointly organized peace event in history, providing a unique opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to grieve together and stand strong in demanding an end to the occupation and ongoing violence. In 2022, 300,000 people participated in the live broadcast event and over one million people streamed it. In 2023, over 15,000 Israelis and Palestinians attended the Joint Memorial Day Ceremony in person in Tel Aviv.

In Israeli mainstream culture, Yom Hazikaron ceremonies often serve to reinforce cultural narratives of pain, victimhood, and hopelessness. The Joint Memorial transforms this narrative by bringing Palestinians together with Israelis to mourn side by side and model another way forward.