Israel Marks October 7th Remembrance Without National Siren
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Israel is observing its national remembrance day for the October 7th massacre, which began with a moment of silence at 6:29 AM. A national siren will not sound on the original Gregorian date or during the week's events, as the official remembrance day is set for the Hebrew date of 24 Tishrei. Lawmakers deliberately omitted a siren from the commemoration, unlike other national remembrance days. Civilian initiatives include a minute of reflection at 12:00 PM, alongside various ceremonies and exhibitions across the country.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel is observing its national remembrance day for the October 7th massacre without a national siren.
- The official remembrance day is set for the Hebrew date of 24 Tishrei, not the original Gregorian date of October 7th.
- Lawmakers deliberately omitted a national siren from the commemoration of the October 7th massacre.
- The day began with a moment of silence at 6:29 AM, the time of the initial attack.
- Civilian initiatives include a nationwide minute of reflection at 12:00 PM.
- Various ceremonies and exhibitions are being held across Israel to commemorate the victims.
Israel is observing its national day of remembrance for the October 7th massacre, an event that saw over 1,100 Israelis murdered and 251 taken hostage by Hamas. The nation has been engaged in a prolonged war, fighting on multiple fronts since the attack. The day began with a moment of silence at 6:29 AM, the time the assault commenced, and will feature various exhibits and protest demonstrations across the country. State memorial ceremonies are being held in Jerusalem, including one for fallen soldiers and security forces, followed by a ceremony for the victims of the massacre.
Despite the three-year anniversary of the attack, a national memorial siren will not sound on the original Gregorian date or during the week's events. This is because the state officially designated the national remembrance day for the October 7th massacre to be observed on the Hebrew calendar date of 24 Tishrei, two days after the Simchat Torah holiday. This decision, made in March 2024 and codified into law in July, means there is no nationwide siren or full economic shutdown on the original date.
While the Gregorian date marks the anniversary, the official annual remembrance day is set for 24 Tishrei. Notably, even on this official remembrance day, a siren is not included. When the law commemorating the massacre was enacted, it established official mourning practices like lowering flags to half-mast and holding state ceremonies, but lawmakers deliberately omitted a siren. Unlike the national memorial day for fallen soldiers or Holocaust Remembrance Day, where sirens are explicitly mandated by law, a siren is not an automatic accompaniment to every remembrance day in Israel.
The law does not specify a reason for the omission of the siren, simply defining how the day is to be observed without one. As the Hebrew date shifts annually relative to the Gregorian calendar, the public and families are choosing alternative ways to mark the occasion. Civilian organizations, local authorities, universities, and hospitals are leading a nationwide minute of reflection at 12:00 PM, alongside acknowledging the 6:29 AM attack start time, but without an official siren. Various ceremonies, memorials, and exhibits are taking place nationwide, including the opening of an exhibition titled "The Space That Remains" at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation and a central ceremony in Tel Aviv's Park HaYarkon.
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