Memorial Day Weekend and the 5th of Iyar
Memorial Day Weekend and the 5th of Iyar

Today, (Monday), is Memorial Day in the USA.

Starting in 1868, Memorial Day was observed on May 30th. But a century later, on June 28, 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient 'three-day weekend'.

The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30th date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971. However, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) advocate returning to the original date.

The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day Address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed a lot to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."

In Israel, the observance of Memorial Day, Yom Hazikaron (Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day), is anything but nonchalant. Its date on the Hebrew calendar, however, is not fixed in itself, but dependent. It is observed on the day preceding Israel's Independence Day.

Israel's Independence Day -Yom Ha'atzmaut - is on the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, the actual date on the Hebrew calendar on which David Ben-Gurion declared independence (May 15th, 1948).

The VFW: Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day.
Under a rule that has been followed since 1951, when the fifth of Iyar falls on Friday or Shabbat (in fact, in 1948 when the state was declared, it was a Friday) Yom Ha'atzmaut is celebrated on day early, on the preceding Thursday, in order to avoid conflict with the Shabbat.

Additionally, in 2004 another rule was imposed. If the fifth of Iyar is on a Monday, Independence Day is postponed to Tuesday, in order to avoid potential violation of Shabbat laws by preparing for Yom Hazikaron or Yom Ha'atzmaut on the preceding Shabbat.

In the Hebrew calendar, the fifth of Iyar can only fall on four specific days of the week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Shabbat. As mentioned above, in three of those cases Independence Day is observed on a different date. Only if the fifth of Iyar falls on a Wednesday is Yom Ha'atzmaut actually celebrated on its original date, the fifth of Iyar.

Well, that was true up till now. The Knesset is in the midst of passing a new law establishing that Yom Ha'atzmaut will be permanently celebrated on a Thursday each year from now on. Assuming the law passes (and it is expected to pass easily), Independence Day would fall on the Thursday of the week in which the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar falls (and therefore Yom Hazikaron would always be on a Wednesday).

Proponents of the bill say that it won't cost the state anything, and would make it easier for employers and municipalities to prepare for the holiday. Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov (Yisrael Beytenu), who is the chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Ceremonies and Symbols, also said that the bill “will prevent special vacation days in the middle of the week, which are disruptive to the Israeli market.” Meseznikov added that the legislation would make it easier for bereaved families to prepare for Remembrance Day, which would now always fall on a Wednesday.

Perhaps the biggest 'winners' are members of the general public in Israel. Permanently moving Yom Ha'atzmaut to Thursday will give Israelis an annual 'three day weekend', something Americans enjoy a number of times a year (including Memorial Day weekend).

While I personally see the logic in the move (Who doesn't love a three day weekend?), there is one 'small' issue that bothers me. Currently, Yom Ha'atzmaut is celebrated on the fifth of Iyar only if it falls on Wednesday, which happens 28.5% of the time (around once in every four years or so on the average).

Maybe it's just me, but is there nothing 'sacred' about the date 'the fifth of Iyar'? True,

Independence Day already gets bumped from its original date most of the time, so what's the big deal about moving it to Thursdays permanently? But maybe it should be a big deal. If the law is passed, the fifth of Iyar will NEVER be observed as Independence Day ever again. It will be replaced by the 3rd, 4th, 6th, or even 8th of Iyar.

The state of Israel was declared on the fifth of Iyar sixty four years ago. True, it sometimes gets moved to avoid Shabbat desecration, but the new law ensures that Independence Day will never again be celebrated on its original date, the 5th of Iyar, even if it falls on a Wednesday, when there are no religious conflicts or objections.

I'm all for three-day weekends, but aren't we missing something here? At least let's hold on to the fifth of Iyar once every four years or so (whenever it falls on a Wednesday). Ok, so we wouldn't have a long 'three day weekend' that year, but if by some miracle this 'only on a Thursday' law doesn't get passed, at least we won't forget (once every few years) what the Hebrew date was when David Ben-Gurion stood up and declared the independent state of Israel.

Sixty four years ago there were those who objected to Ben-Gurion's bold decision to declare independence on that date. They felt he should wait. But our first Prime Minister was determined. He knew it was now or never. He knew that such a crucial act could not be delayed – and he did it - on the fifth of Iyar.

So, when should we celebrate Israel's Independence Day? Well, if you're asking me, I'm taking the fifth!