ByALAN ROSENBAUM
Updated:

Hundreds of thousands of Jews from around the world will gather Tuesday night to commemorate the soldiers and victims of terror who gave their lives for the State of Israel.

One of the largest ceremonies will be held by Masa, an organization that provides immersive international experiences in Israel for young adults ages 18-30. Founded by the Jewish Agency and the government, Masa’s ceremony is targeted at the global Jewish community.

The ceremony will focus on the stories of soldiers and civilians who came to Israel from around the world and died while serving in the Israel Defense Forces or were killed in hostilities. 
The ceremony was pre-recorded at Latrun in front of an audience of hundreds of Masa Fellows in Israel.

This ceremony, dedicated to Jewish communities around the world and their contributions to Israel’s story, is the largest English-language ceremony in Israel and is adapted for these communities and communities of new immigrants living in Israel.


From left: Masa Acting CEO Ofer Gutman; Senior Vice President and Director General JFNA Israel Becky Caspi; Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel Isaac Herzog; and World Chairman of Keren Hayesod Sam Grundwerg
From left: Masa Acting CEO Ofer Gutman; Senior Vice President and Director General JFNA Israel Becky Caspi; Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel Isaac Herzog; and World Chairman of Keren Hayesod Sam Grundwerg (Credit: Yossi Zeliger)

Masa Fellows will gather for community screenings of this year’s ceremony in five cities throughout Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The ceremony will also be translated in Russian and French and will be broadcast live to hundreds of thousands of Jews worldwide, including Masa alumni graduates and residents of Jewish communities in the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, former Soviet Union countries and others.

This year’s ceremony will tell the stories of Alex Singer, who was killed in Lebanon in 1987; Yoni Jesner, who was murdered in a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv in 2002; Alejandro Hofman, who perished in the Helicopter Disaster of 1997; and others. Bereaved families and their representatives will also attend. 

Isaac Herzog, chairman of the Jewish Agency, will deliver remarks.

“The Memorial Day Ceremony for Jewish communities around the world that we hold every year allows Masa Fellows in Israel to fully join in an event that is significant for all Israelis and to connect more deeply to the roots of this country and its people,” said Masa CEO Ofer Gutman. “Each year, the ceremony has a profound effect on our fellows, and they will remember this event as one of the most significant they will experience here.”