The state ceremony marking the transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day took place Tuesday evening at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, concluding a day of remembrance and opening celebrations for Israel’s 78th Independence Day.
The annual torch-lighting ceremony was scheduled for 7:45 p.m. and proceeded as planned, following earlier contingency preparations in recent days.
Israel marks start of 78th Independence Day with torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl
Organizers conducted a full dress rehearsal Sunday, attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, who oversees the event, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, along with the torch lighters.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei had been invited to light a torch live but returned to his country earlier Tuesday. His participation was recorded during the rehearsal and will be broadcast as part of the ceremony. During the rehearsal, Milei received a warm reception and joined singers Lila Malkus and Hananel Edri in performing the Spanish song “Libre” (“Free”), originally by Nino Bravo.
The ceremony traditionally includes a recorded address by the prime minister, a speech by the Knesset speaker and the lighting of torches.
Among those selected to light torches are Talik Gvili, mother of Sgt. Maj. Ran Gvili, who was killed and whose body was held in Gaza, alongside the government’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch; IDF soldier Ari Spitz, who was seriously wounded in fighting in northern Gaza; and Ora Hatan, a resident of the northern border community of Shtula who remained in her home during fighting with Hezbollah and volunteered to cook for IDF troops.
Also selected are film producer Moshe Edri; venture capitalist Gili Raanan, founder of Cyberstarts, an early investor in Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz; and businessman Roni Inesaz, who was born in Tehran and has assisted Jewish communities in Iran.
Additional torch lighters include Rabbi Avraham Zerbib, a judge in the Tel Aviv rabbinical court who also serves as a D9 bulldozer operator in Gaza, and Tamer Atallah, a member of the Druze community who served for years in defense-related roles and worked to preserve the heritage of Druze, Circassian and Bedouin soldiers.
Prof. Dina Ben Yehuda, a leading hematologist at Hadassah Medical Center, and chef Assaf Granit, whose restaurants have gained international recognition, are also among those selected.
The IDF torch will be lit by Col. M., an Air Force officer involved in operational planning, and Maj. Nurit R., a combat intelligence officer who was wounded on Oct. 7, returned to service and was later seriously wounded again.
Actress Hanna Laslo was initially selected to light a torch but later withdrew following public criticism over a letter she signed.
Last year’s ceremony, marking Israel’s 77th Independence Day, was canceled due to strong winds and wildfires in the Jerusalem area, with a recorded rehearsal broadcast instead. It included a prayer for hostages held in Gaza and a torch lighting dedicated to them by former hostage Emily Damari.