TWO PHOTO ALBUM LINKS BELOW: At 8:00pm Tuesday night, Memorial Day will end and the nation will begin celebrating its 61st Yom HaAtzma’ut.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, there are 7,411,000 residents, 70% of whom are children, 35% second generation Israelis and 12,000 new immigrants arrived in Israel since the last Independence Day. 5,593,000 (75.5%) are Jews, 1,498,000 (20.2%) Arabs, 320,000 (4.3%) other minorities, and there were 154,000 children born since last Independence Day.
**806,000 residents lived in Israel when the state was declared in 1948.
**The population is expected to reach 10 million in 2030.
**35% of the residents in 1948 were born in Israel.
**14 cities record over 100,000 residents. In 1948, only Tel Aviv boasted such numbers.
**4.2 million Israelis traveled abroad in the last year. 64 million travels were recorded to 61 different countries.
YWN ALBUM #1: Click HERE for photos taken at Israel Memorial Day 2009 Ceremony at Latrun [Photo Credits: Sidney Shapiro / Boltshauser Images]
YWN ALBUM #2: Click HERE for photos of Yom Hatzmaut 2009 Fireworks as seen from Kiryat Sefer [Photo Credits: Yehuda Boltshauser & Co.]
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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20 Responses
I don’t understand why The Yeshiva world is posting these pictures. All Gedolei yisroel of the Yeshiva movement were against the founding of the State of Israel. It’s a sad day, not one to celebrate. The Chazon Ish said Tachnun eventhough he had a bris that day.
Blessings upon the country of Israel for brochos, shalom, ahavas hashem, ahavas yisroel, ahavas torah and LONG LIFE…….
aronfink –
so what your saying is that The Yeshiva World shouldn’t post any pictures of sad news. No war pictures, no 9/11 pictures, no pictures of Gedolim that passed away.
If that’s the case they shouldn’t have posted your comment. It’s sad.
When I was in Cheider in Yerushalayim I got awarded a prize for never going to watch the fireworks, but I guess it’s a different generation, today it’s part of the “Yeshiva World”
Great Pictures…makes me very proud.
aronfink – grow up! The state of Israel is home to more torah learning than any other place on earth.
I am not going to start a long post regarding aronfinks comment…since there is no point.
Someone here wrote: “tens or hundred of thousands of frum torah jews who together with their rabbonim and admorim ARE celebrating this wonderful day”.
A Torah Jew never celebrated with fireworks. I could easily think where they copied this “Minhag” from…
Aronfink,
Before coming out with a statement like that you need to do some research.
First of all, not all gedolim were opposed. Some or many, in America were opposed. There were many gedolim who paskened not to say tachanun. They even discuss whether to say Hallel or not (with a beracha or without). Among them are, Chacham Ovadia Yosef, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyah, Rishon Letsion Rabbi Uziel, Rishon Letsion Chacham Nissim, Rav Kook.
The gedolim of the “yeshiva” movement” are not the only gedolim Klal Yisrael has. There are also gedolim that belong to the Ovdey Hashem movement and I listed them above. There are many more gedolim who subscribe to this opinion as well.
To say on an event that many gedoley olam called “atchalta degeula” that it was a sad day is, with all due respect, a tremedous kfuy tova of the awesome miracle and outporing of love that Borei Olam bestowed on us. Take some time and think about the thousands of benefits that resulted (access to kivrie tsadikim, hundreds of yeshivas, thousands of baalei teshuva, and thousands of other benefits).
Your comments lead me to believe that you belong to those who claim to be “jewish” that gather and have rallies… and exchanges kises with our bitter enemies who dream about wiping us of the map.
Remember, we are in the days of the omer. We don’t need your divisive comments. Remember how many of R Akiva’s students died becuase of adam lachaviero? Please keep your opinions to yourself. It would be entirely something else if you quoted sources, but do Klal Yisroel a favor and keep your unresearched opinions to youself.
all ppl!
its sad that people are happy that there is a state of israel yet we must still be happy that we have a holy place to learn.
aronfink — the reason he didn’t say tachnun is bec of *maras ayin*
how many of these residents know about what it means a jew?? how many people did this mdina make into secular jews?
When I was in Cheider in Yerushalayim I got awarded a prize for never going to watch the fireworks, but I guess it’s a different generation
GREAT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM you went through. How about an award for the chesed to the old man in your building? go to a shiva call for a terror victim? learn mishnayos in honor of a fallen soldier? deliver packages of chicken to the poor? spend a shabbos afternoon with a ‘special child’? Guess this cheder wanted to make a point with their awards, what did a bochur get for burning garbage cans?
Clearly there are legitimate g’dolim on both sides of this issue and everyone has a right to follow their rabbonim. We should all be careful to not write or say anything that denegrates g’dolei torah. Kol tuv.
If I remember correctly (& I am quite sure I do) when I was in Kol Torah & Rav S.Z. Aurebach zt”l was the Rosh Yeshiva not only did we NOT say tachanun on Yom Ha’atzmut but there was also displayed an Israeli flag on the roof (& that I am sure of)!!
It is not for anyone to say what will bring the Geulah, it is not for anyone to say whether the state of israel is good or bad, it is not for anyone to say how another person does his or her avodas Hashem is correct or incorrect. It is not for any of you to say. the bottom line is HKBH gave us Eretz Yisroel, its not up to us to judge. if He gave it, it was for a reason. Whatever that reason is, its not up to us to figure it out. So lets bring Klal Yosroel together again and stop bickering about nothing. Just do ratzon Hashem, whatever that means to you. Everything Hashem does is good.
Pashut: Everything HaKadosh Baruch Hu does is good. Its not for anyone to judge if the state is good or bad, no one here can say what will bring the Geulah, no one EVER can judge another Yid for his way of doing his OWN Avodas Hashem. Its not for us to do or say any of these things, only Hashem. So stop this bickering about nothing, and start bring Klal Yisroel together. To separate the family is the last thing that we need.
to azi [10],
Have you learned Massechet Avoda Zara 11a and the poskim there? It is forbidden for a jew to adapt gentile ways of celebration etc. Besides, you know good and well that this was not instituted by loyal jews, but quite the opposite. The Torah jew, who is the real, functioning jew, is not any more independent in Israel than he is in America or was in Europe.
Pashuteh Yid [16],
You are definately very “Poshut” and shallow.
People in Europe became secular not because of the Europians but because of Jews like the Maskilim and Zionists. That is a fact. NO ONE became a Maamin because of Zionism, unless it’s a counter reaction – like saying we shouldn’t talk against Haman or Amaleik because we got such Emunah through them….
Your last statement is rediculous. Yes, a lot of Yidden folowed Zionism not knowing what it really stands for. Good Yidden. and we do have Hakoras HaTov to them for many reasons. But does that mean we needed them? if yidden would have stayed loyal to the Torah we wouldn’t need to fight those wars all together! [R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz said a bochur should give his seat on the bus to a soldier out of gratitude, but he also said that the religous zionists are wost then the non religous…]
how many of these residents know about what it means a jew?? how many people did this mdina make into secular jews? —-
Since the kiruv movements have begun through Aish, Ohr Sameach, Lev Achad, Peylim, Arachim, Bayit Yehudi, Ayelet Hashachar and tons more (which all receibe $$ from the medinah) many more Jews in Israel have become shomer shabbos than in America.
The teshuva movmt in Israel is huge and much easier to accomplish than anywhere else. Thank you Israel.
Rv SZ Auerbach & Rav S Eliyashuv (who is a son in law of R. Aryeh Leib, shaddchan was Reb Tzvi Yehudah KooK) were in awe of the gadlus of Rav AYH Kook and embraced his greatness of ahavas chinom.
pasheter yid
check out my reply at news title
Israel Memorial Day 2009
אין דבר חדש תחת השמש
There is nothing new being posted here. The the Pro-state will remain Pro-state and all those anti will remain anti.
I see no reason for anyone to ask mechila from the other side (as one post suggested) unless he has made offensive comments to individuals. To state that the Medina is anti-Torah for example is attacking the government officials and those in power. It is not an attack on religious zionists that believe that we should be happy with an nonreligious Jewish government.
The religious zionist believe that the UN declaration for a Jewish state was a miracle and we should praise Hashem for giving us the land. They believe that this is the beginning of the Geulah and they believe in the land.
Others disagree with this view. Their arguments vary from group to group and are too extensive for this post.
When Moshiach comes all sides will become obsolete and none of us will care or think twice about who was right and who was wrong. The Ohr Haganiza will be brought out and enlighten us with Torah and knowledge of Hashem. Our only focus at that time will be to increase our D’vekus to Hashem.
With this in mind, why wait? Let’s stop the foolish bickering and insults posted above and focus on D’vekus B’Hashem.
You want to say Hallel? G’zunta Heit! You want to say slichos? G’zunta Heit! The rest of us will carry on saying tachanun and hopefully will have G’zunta Heit! 😉
אלה ואלה דברי אלוקים חיים
Azi, Aron Fink is right. It is NOT a day of celebration. Hashem GAVE US THIS GIFT,? what? a country whose “Declaration Of independence does not include g-d’s name?” (this quote comes from a goy)and whose bus terminal in Tel Aviv displays ads for prophylactics? for EVERYONE to see? Y’shmo Herzl,didnt even want to set up shop in Palestine,he wanted to go to UGANDA. You think hashem had this in mind when he promised to the Avos that he will give the land to their offspring? or that Bar Rafaeli will bring honor and kovod and a kiddush hashem to the country,while appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated? Nah, I dont think so. The land is,and was,and will remain holy forever. But unfortunately the STATE is another (sad)story. The secular zionists have nothing to be proud of, Oh yeah! except the annual Gay parade. Shucks,almost forgot about that one. Shalom.