Masa Israel is holding its 15th Memorial Day event this year, the largest such English-speaking ceremony in the world.
The event is being held at Yad L’Shiryon in Latrun, not far from Jerusalem. This year’s theme is “Forever Connected,” with the aim of highlighting the relationship between the Land of Israel and Jews around the world. The ceremony is being translated into French, Spanish, and Russian and is being live-streamed to audiences around the globe, with hundreds of thousands expected to view it.
Seven thousand people are participating in the live ceremony, including Knesset members and a 12-member delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives.
A number of stories of Israeli fallen will be shared at the ceremony, including those of IAF pilot Carmi Elan, born in Los Angeles, who was killed in a training accident IDF soldier Shirel Aboukarat, killed by terrorists in Hadera Russian-born Michael Ladygin, who was murdered in a terrorist attack in Ariel and Uriel Bar-Maimon Wolf, born in Argentina and killed during operational activities at the Erez checkpoint.