04/10/2026
Yom Hazikaron to Honor Fallen Soldiers, Terror Victims
More than 500 attendees of the Yom Hazikaron commemoration on April 29 at Park Synagogue in Pepper Pike stand for the “Star Spangled Banner.” CJN Photo / Abigail Preiszig
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News
by Casey Couch
The Jewish Federation of Cleveland will host a Yom Hazikaron ceremony at 7 p.m. April 20 at Congregation Shaarey Tikvah at 26811 Fairmount Blvd. in Beachwood, bringing together community members to honor fallen Israeli soldiers and victims of terrorism.
Bar-Shain
Rebecca Bar-Shain, co-chair of the federation’s Yom Hazikaron committee, told the Cleveland Jewish News that the event will include poems, music, prayers and personal commemorations designed to create a meaningful and reflective experience for attendees.
“Yom Hazikaron is an official remembrance day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, so it’s Israel’s Memorial Day, but in contrast to America’s Memorial Day, it’s very solemn,” Bar-Shain said.
“I feel strongly that as American Jews, there’s a human cost for Israel’s existence and so it’s valuable for us to commemorate the people who have died so that we can enjoy Israel,” she said. “I also happen to have three sons who have moved to Israel, and two of my sons are Israeli soldiers, so it also feels very personal to me.”
Yom Hazikaron is observed immediately before Israel’s Independence Day, a juxtaposition Bar-Shain said is intentional.
“The connection is really intentional – that people should mourn the losses before they celebrate their existence,” she said. “It makes a connection between the sacrifices that families have made and the pride and appreciation that we have for the state of Israel.”
In addition to the program, a memorial art installation created by Andrea Litvin and community volunteers will be on display, bringing more personal and local connection to the day’s observances.
“We are trying to commemorate people that our community members know,” she said. “The intention is to be able to see people’s faces and make it tangible, and also to highlight some of the people that have close connections to people in our community. We’re asking guests to share the names of any friends or relatives they are personally commemorating.”
Bar-Shain said that the focus is to create a Yom Hazikaron evening that meets the needs of Israeli community members, while bringing together a diverse group of Americans, Israelis and others to support one another and strengthen their bond with Israel.
Attendees will have the opportunity to list the name of an individual they want to honor during preregistration.
The program is solemn in nature and attendance is not recommended for infants or toddlers, Bar-Shain said.
To register, visit jewishcleveland.org.
