Rabbi Yaakov Ariel of Ramat Gan recreated to Arutz Sheva events surrounding the start of the modern Jewish state of Israel in 1948. He said, "I remember that Friday evening, the 5th of Iyar. The newspaper headlines announced the fall of Kfar Etzion and many mourning notices about more than 100 people who fell." He added, "It was a very difficult day. But we did see that the British flag was lowered over the Generali building at the center of Jaffa Street in Jerusalem, which until then was the British control center, and people standing and singing Hatikvah. That was my Independence Day so from my perspective the connection to Memorial Day, which, as far as I know, was decided because of Kfar Etzion with the atmosphere of mourning and feeling so heavy, and suddenly the state was born and the British flag was lowered.