This poster, produced by Tzipi Berak Biyonsky, commemorates Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. The poster is mainly sepia coloured, with some specific individuals in black and white. The image depicts a crowd of people standing solemnly on Jerusalem’s famous pedestrian street, Ben Yehuda, during the Yom Hazikaron siren. Some people stand with their feet together and heads bowed, others look around. In the left-hand corner an IDF soldier stands with the traditional salute for the siren, while seeming to look out at those viewing the poster. The sepia image could imply a modern-day scene; the black and white images, on the other hand, are reminiscent of older times. It is possible that Berak Biyonsky wanted to combine two time periods by layering the image with these characters in two tones. In the bottom right-hand corner there is a black and white image of a soldier raising the Israeli flag at half-mast in commemoration of all those who have fallen. The text at the bottom of the picture reads, “Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers.” At the top of the poster there is a quote by Moshe Ibn Ezra, the medieval Jewish scholar: “And my eyes will darken over if I don’t cry for him, and my right hand will become limp if I forget him.” The Hebrew word kavod (respect) is printed in bold above the quote and next to this are three birds, possibly doves symbolising peace.
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Yom HaZikaron - Yom HaZikaron is commemorated on the 4th of Iyar, the day before Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day). It is the day of remembrance for soldiers, police, intelligence forces, and victims of terrorism who lost their lives before the establishment of the State of Israel until the present time. Yom HaZikaron is observed with ceremonies that are held in cemeteries, schools, and local communities throughout the country. It begins at 8 pm with a one-minute siren which is followed by a national ceremony held at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The following day a two-minute siren is sounded at 11 am, and memorial services then take place in all military cemeteries. During the siren, Israelis stop what they are doing and stand to honour the memory of the fallen. Throughout the day, places of entertainment are closed and the radio and television stations play music and tell stories befitting the day. The torch-lighting ceremony at Mt. Herzl is both the closing event of Yom HaZikaron and the opening ceremony of Yom Ha’atzmaut. The juxtaposition of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut reminds the nation of the high cost of the independence that is enjoyed by everyone.
