Hello Friends,

Today is Israel's 61st Independence Day. Yom Ha'Atzmaut.

It's a beautiful day out today (a bit cloudy) and many Israelis will be spending the day all over the country in the different parks, forests, nature reserves with their families and friends.

This is a day of joy and happiness for all of us here. Dry Bones in his special way shows it in his satyric cartoon with a brief explanation beneath of the remembrance day and the transfer to Yom Ha'Atzmaut.

Shalom,

Peter

Yesterday we marked Remembrance Day in memoriam of the nation's 22,570 fallen, both soldiers and civilians. The count is comprised of those who gave their lives for the State of Israel from 1860 and on, and includes members of the Jewish Brigade and all branches of the Israeli armed forces – the military, police, the Shin Bet and the Mossad. The past year has seen 133 new names added to the somber count. A sombre day of sadness and introspection.

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And now, today, it's Yom Ha'Atzmaut, marking Israel's sixty-first birthday, a day of joy and celebration ...and our national picnic/barbeque day! Enjoy!! Hag Sameah! Happy Holiday! Live long and prosper!

Dry Bones

Happy holiday, Peter!

I have read in Russian wikipedia:

"It is a unique official day off in Israel when the municipal transportation works, and the population observing the Jewish religious traditions, can go in cars and light fire, therefore a holiday it is marked by mass departure on picnics."

And how there at you, unless on other holidays the public transport does not work?

Hi Lydia,

Thanks for the historic picture, much appreciated.

This is a day of celebration and what better way then to spend it with family and friends in our beautiful parks and nature reserves?

Shalom,

Peter