Israel will begin celebrating its 53rd Independence Day tonight with an official celebration at Mount Herzl. Twelve torches will be lit by citizens who have been honored for doing voluntary public service work, in keeping with this year\'s Independence Day theme, \"People Who Care Volunteer as a Way of Life.\" Among the citizens are:
* Bracha Zisser, 43, granddaughter of Bnei Brak\'s first mayor, and whose parents were among the founders of Kibbutz Sa\'ad in the Negev. With the help of the Ezer Mizion (MiTziyon) organization, she established and runs a home that hosts children with cancer and their parents. She also runs the famous bone-marrow database and its associated worldwide campaigns.
* Nelly Portugez, 61, who lost her daughter during the Bus #300 terrorist attack and later her son in a traffic accident. She and her husband raised several children who suffer from Down Syndrome.
* Uri Slonim, 59, a 7th-generaion member of the Slonim family from Hevron, who offered his legal services gratis on behalf of the missing and abducted soldiers, and who volunteers in other areas.
* Bracha Zisser, 43, granddaughter of Bnei Brak\'s first mayor, and whose parents were among the founders of Kibbutz Sa\'ad in the Negev. With the help of the Ezer Mizion (MiTziyon) organization, she established and runs a home that hosts children with cancer and their parents. She also runs the famous bone-marrow database and its associated worldwide campaigns.
* Nelly Portugez, 61, who lost her daughter during the Bus #300 terrorist attack and later her son in a traffic accident. She and her husband raised several children who suffer from Down Syndrome.
* Uri Slonim, 59, a 7th-generaion member of the Slonim family from Hevron, who offered his legal services gratis on behalf of the missing and abducted soldiers, and who volunteers in other areas.