The highly emotional annual torch lighting ceremony held on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem is underway albeit without a crowd but broadcast live on Israeli television. It marks both the end of Memorial Day honoring those killed either in battle or from acts of terror and the beginning of Independence Day. Twelve torches are lit, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
Aside from the Knesset Speaker who lights the first candle, torch lighters are selected through a nomination process from the general population and nominees are typically heads of social welfare organizations, leaders in medical fields, scientists, educators, performing artists, or those distinguished by individual acts of heroism.
After naming their parents, torch lighters often honor or thank individuals or segments of the population. Those honored by this year's torch lighters have included soldiers, medical personnel, children, the Druze community, Jewish mothers in Israel and in the Diaspora, hospital volunteers, the Land of Israel, and God, the King of kings.
The speech of each torch lighter ends with the words "and for the glory of the State of Israel" before his or her torch is lit.