On Tuesday evening, April 29, the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem (MOTJ) and the IDF Widows & Orphans Organization (IDFWO) will host the largest Yom HaZikaron event for Israel’s English-speaking community, which will be livestreamed throughout the world on the website of the Jerusalem Post.
The event will feature keynote addresses by Yossi Cohen, former director of the Mossad, Larry A. Mizel, chairman of the museum, and Rabbi Marvin Hier, the museum’s co-chairman and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
The evening will also include emotionally charged elements. One will spotlight the courageous stories of lone soldiers—young men and women from around the world who chose to fight for Israel during the war, many without immediate family by their side. Another will feature three pregnant widows who found themselves alone, having to deal with the future of their families they had dreamed of building with their fallen husbands.
In addition, Dafna Russo, widow of Uri Russo, who was a member of the emergency response team at Kfar Aza, and Sigal Steiner-Mantzouri, who lost her two daughters at the Nova music festival, will participate in panels discussing the tragedy of October 7 and its aftermath.
The ceremony will open with a siren, which marks the official beginning of Israel’s Yom HaZikaron and sets the tone for an evening of national significance. Pesi Gordon, widow of Master Sergeant Naftali Yona Gordon, will then light the memorial torch in her husband’s memory.
IDF Cantor Assaf Nagel will recite the El Maleh Rachamim prayer, and Rabbi Benji Levy will lead the Yizkor prayer as a memorial to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The event will also include a musical performance by the IDF Education Corps Band.
>> Visit https://motj.org.il/en/memorial-day-2025/ to register to attend.
On Thursday morning, May 1, at 8:00 am, Rabbi Tamir Granot will lead a festive Yom Ha’atzmaut Shacharit service, including the recitation of Hallel, at the museum's outdoor amphitheater.
The Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem is an international beacon for hope and peace and a lighthouse for human dignity and dialogue. It features multiple event venues, including a 1000-seat amphitheater for concerts and cultural shows, a 400-seat theatre, and a 600-sq/m Grand Hall, functioning as a multi-purpose state-of-the-art event space.
The Museum recently introduced the School of Civic Discourse and the School of Leadership. These initiatives aim to equip young Israelis with vital leadership and communication skills, reinforcing their commitment to fostering a more tolerant and unified society.
Jonathan (Yoni) Riss, MOTJ’s Managing Director of Operations, shared: “As one of Jerusalem’s key cultural institutions, we are proud to be hosting this event marking Yom HaZikaron.”
The IDF Widows & Orphans Organization, co-sponsor of the event, is devoted to caring for the spouses and children of Israel’s fallen heroes. Through emotional support, financial aid, educational programs, and a strong, compassionate community, they offer strength and stability to those left behind.
IDFWO CEO Shlomi Nahumson stated, “Behind every fallen soldier are loved ones whose lives have been shattered—widows left to raise children alone, orphans growing up without a parent. Yom HaZikaron is not only a national day of remembrance, but a deeply personal day of pain and resilience for thousands of families who carry the burden of loss every single day.”
Join us for a ceremony of remembrance, resilience, and reverence to pay tribute to those who have fallen.
>> Visit https://motj.org.il/en/memorial-day-2025/ to register to attend.
This article was written in cooperation with the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem.