An extraordinary moment of historical significance and personal gratitude unfolded Monday evening in Washington when Gene Simmons, the 75-year-old frontman of legendary rock band KISS, encountered Harold "Hal" Urban, a 100-year-old World War II veteran who participated in liberating the concentration camp where Simmons' mother was imprisoned as a teenager.

Their meeting during the American Memorial Day parade marked the first time the two men had met, despite their lives being forever connected by the events of May 1945. Urban, still wearing his original military jacket from the liberation, represented one of the American heroes who helped end the Holocaust's systematic murder of European Jewry.

When Simmons approached Urban during the parade, the rock star's usual theatrical persona gave way to raw emotion. Without his characteristic Kiss makeup, Simmons clasped Urban's hand and delivered words that encapsulated decades of unspoken gratitude, "If there weren't brave people like you – I wouldn't be here, and neither would my mother. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Urban's memories of liberating Mauthausen remain vivid and traumatic even at age 100. He described the overwhelming stench of burning human remains, emaciated prisoners stumbling in confusion and terror, and the psychological trauma that proved more devastating than conventional combat. His unit buried approximately 500 corpses within 24 hours of the camp's liberation – a grim testament to the Nazi regime's systematic extermination efforts.

While Urban cannot definitively recall meeting Flora Klein, Simmons' mother, during those chaotic liberation days, both were present at Mauthausen when American forces arrived. Klein was just 14 years old, one of thousands of Jewish prisoners whose survival depended entirely on the Allied advance reaching them before the Nazi machinery of death could complete its work.

Proud 100 year old WWII (!!!) veteran, Sgt Urban, was actually one of our troops who liberated my, then 14 yr old Mother from Mathousen Concentration Camp in Nazi Germany. God Bless Our Vets! pic.twitter.com/YVaU7o5CR7

— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) May 26, 2025

Following the war, Urban returned to civilian life, establishing himself as a farmer in Illinois and raising nine children. However, the psychological wounds from his wartime service, particularly his experiences at the concentration camps, never fully healed. "The psychologist said that when you raise a family, the nightmares subside. And when your children leave home, they return. And that's what happened," Urban reflected.

Simmons, born in Israel to Klein after her immigration following the war, grew up understanding his mother's Holocaust survival in only the broadest terms. Klein, like many survivors, rarely discussed her experiences in detail. Only in recent years has Simmons learned the complete scope of how narrowly his existence depended on historical circumstances beyond anyone's control.

"She was in the camp at age 14," Simmons explained. "She hardly talked about it at all. Now I know how close I came to losing everything."

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The official state ceremony marking Memorial Day began at 11:02 a.m. Wednesday at the National Memorial Hall on Mount Herzl, immediately following a two-minute moment of silence.

The ceremony at Mount Herzl was held in parallel with remembrance services at military cemeteries across the country. It was attended by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, and Supreme Court President Justice Yitzhak Amit, along with other senior officials.

"25,415 fallen soldiers of Israel's wars: Jews, Druze, Muslims, Bedouin, Christians, Circassians. All left us a spiritual legacy. All left us a commandment to live. They fought together, defended the state together, will bring the hostages home together. Together they delivered victory over our enemies," said the prime minister.

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Days like this feel just like in the song "To the Land of the Deer," where it says: "Her sorrow and her joy are the warp and weft of her daily cloth." In our private world, there is bottomless grief over what is no longer, and also endless joy and pride in what still is, in who Saadia was, in what he symbolized, and in what he left behind for his children.

In the national sphere, there is profound grief over everything not yet achieved, the defeat of evil, the release of our hostages, and the price we have paid in fighting evil. And at the same time, there is immense pride in what we have accomplished in 77 years of statehood, and in the extraordinary society we call the people of Israel.

Today, on Memorial Day, we are held together as a family. People come from all across the country, bringing a symbolic gift, a flower, or kind words. Knowing that these fallen heroes are held in the heart of this nation gives us strength. Because when you face a mountain of sorrow alone, that's all you can see. But when others stand with you, you grow stronger. On Memorial Day, we are all together.

Last week, I participated in the March of the Living at Auschwitz-Birkenau, standing before tallitot that the Nazis, may their names be erased, stole from the Jews. I couldn't stop thinking of the image of Saadia on the last day of his life, wrapped in a tallit and wearing tefillin, just moments before going into battle. About two months ago, when his son was born, his wife Racheli gave my husband Chaim her late husband's tallit to wear at the brit. That image, of the continuation of generations, shows how much sorrow lives in our people, and just as powerfully, how much pride. Pride in belonging to a nation that refuses to surrender to evil, that insists on hoping for a better future.

And I say "hoping" because hope is an active choice. It means doing something to make things better, not assuming it will happen on its own. That was Saadia. And that was the spirit of his comrades when they put on their uniforms. Miracles, fighting for the sake of good.

I wasn't born in this country; I chose it. And when I see people treating it like it's a given, I cry out. Because this country is anything but a given. It's the result of thousands of years of history coming together. And we must never take it for granted.

The author is the mother of Staff Sgt. (res.) Saadia Yaakov Derai, who fell on June 20, 2024. 

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Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism will begin on Tuesday evening, April 29, 2025, and continue through Wednesday until the closing ceremony. The day honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country's existence and security.

Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of hostile acts begins Tuesday evening, April 29, 2025, Iyar 1, 5785, at 8:00 p.m. and continues throughout Wednesday, April 30, Iyar 2, until the closing ceremony at 8:00 p.m.

Independence Day will begin Wednesday evening, April 30, 2025 (Iyar 5, 5785), immediately following Memorial Day ceremonies, and continue until Thursday evening, May 1, 2025. The transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day symbolizes the deep connection between remembering the fallen and the establishment of the state, including the traditional torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl.

When are the sirens?

The first siren will sound nationwide at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Iyar 1, 5785. The second siren will sound nationwide at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, Iyar 2, 5785.

Weather on Memorial Day 2025

On Tuesday evening, Memorial Day eve, it will still be cool, especially in mountainous regions. During Memorial Day itself, the weather will turn hot and dry with temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit in most areas of the country (except near the coast) and humidity will be very low.

On Wednesday, Memorial Day for IDF fallen soldiers, it will be partly cloudy with medium and high-level clouds. There will be a significant increase in temperatures, making it hotter than usual to scorching. From the afternoon hours, winds will intensify and haze is possible. Light rainfall may occur.

Although the expected heat wave this week will not be as extreme as last week's, when April heat records were broken in southern Israel and many areas experienced temperatures of 104 degrees Fahrenheit, preparations should still be made for a hot and scorching Memorial Day, with dryness, haze, and risk of fire spreading in open areas.

Why was the Hebrew date of Memorial Day and Independence Day moved up this year?

According to government decision and the Independence Day Law (1949), when Independence Day (5th of Iyar) falls on Friday or Saturday – the holiday is postponed or moved up to prevent Sabbath desecration due to rehearsals, security drills, state ceremonies, etc.

Since the 5th of Iyar 5785 (the historical date of the Declaration of Independence) falls this year on Saturday (May 3, 2025), it was decided to move Memorial Day and Independence Day forward to days that would not cause Sabbath desecration or harm to the honor of the fallen.

When do businesses close on Memorial Day eve?

By law, businesses are prohibited from opening on the eve of Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of hostile acts, from 7:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. All stores required to close including "public entertainment" venues such as theaters, cafes, cinemas, concerts, discos, dance halls, sports venues, food establishments selling food or drinks, etc., must remain closed.

Is there a school holiday on Memorial Day?

On Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of hostile acts, classes in schools and kindergartens proceed normally during morning hours, typically ending early according to Ministry of Education guidelines. Many institutions end the school day around 12:00-1:00 p.m. to allow students and staff to participate in community and family ceremonies. There are no afternoon classes.

The next day, on Independence Day (May 1, 2025), there are no classes in all educational institutions – it is a full holiday according to the Ministry of Education's holiday schedule. On Friday, May 2, 2025, classes resume as normal in schools and kindergartens.

Memorial Day, Tuesday night, April 29:

4:30 p.m.: Opening ceremony for Memorial Day events for IDF fallen soldiers at "Yad LaBanim" house in Jerusalem, attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion

8:00 p.m.: One-minute silence siren

8:01 p.m.: State ceremony at the Western Wall plaza, attended by President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir

9:15 p.m.: "Songs in Their Memory" at the Knesset. Musical performance in memory of fallen soldiers and victims of hostile acts, in cooperation with the Knesset, Ministry of Defense, IDF, Police, and National Insurance Institute

Memorial Day, Wednesday day, April 30:

8:30 a.m.: Reading of names of fallen soldiers at the Hall of Remembrance on Mount Herzl, attended by the Defense Minister

11:00 a.m.: Two-minute silence siren

11:02 a.m.: Israeli Air Force missing man formation flyover above the military cemetery on Mount Herzl

11:02 a.m.: State ceremony for IDF fallen soldiers at the Hall of Remembrance on Mount Herzl. Simultaneously, memorial ceremonies will begin at military cemeteries across the country

1:00 p.m.: State ceremony in memory of terror victims in Israel and abroad at Mount Herzl

7:45 p.m.: State closing ceremony for Memorial Day events and opening of Israel's 77th Independence Day celebrations.

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In the Story, Damari described how she marked Memorial Day last year while held in captivity. "It was a day I will never forget," she wrote.

"When the terrorists started watching Al Jazeera, we realized that Memorial Day had begun. At 11 a.m., we decided to stand for a moment of silence in memory of the fallen, who in their death commanded us to live, in memory of our friends who were killed."

Damari was recently chosen to light a torch at Israel's 77th Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony, joining a lineup of trailblazers, including fellow former hostage Eli Sharabi. Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev commented on her selection: "Emily is an extraordinary Israeli hero who has touched all our hearts and become a symbol of inspiration and resilience."

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The May 14 Israeli independence celebration and the May 15 Palestinian Nakba commemoration caused competing rallies around the world.

Tensions flared at Tel Aviv University on Monday as students gathered to mark the Palestinian Nakba Day. Hundreds of demonstrators congregated in front of the university gates, holding signs and chanting slogans to commemorate the forced evacuation of Palestinians during the 1948 war and to demand the right of refugees to return. Police maintained a heavy presence between the opposing groups. Activist Yoseph Hadad and right-wing MK Almog Cohen were in attendance, raising Israeli flags across from watermelon-bearing protesters.

Yoseph Haddad is standing against terrorist-suppoters who enjoy freedom in our country protesting right fucking here in Tel-Aviv University. pic.twitter.com/lwswANzeYy

— Adam Albilya - אדם אלביליה (@AdamAlbilya) May 15, 2024

In Haifa, thousands of flag-waving Palestinians marched and called for Israel to end the war in Gaza. Meanwhile, jubilant celebrations broke out in song and dance at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City as Memorial Day ended and Independence Day began. Thousands danced, sang, and prayed for the Jewish state. Many shared videos on X of IDF soldiers near the Gaza border singing the Israeli national anthem, Hatikva.

#IDF #Soldiers on a break sing near the #Gaza border!#Israel #IDFHeroes #AmYisraelChai #Israel76 #BringThemHomeNow #NeverForgetNeverForgive #YomHaatzmaut #YomHaatsmaout #YomHaAzmaut pic.twitter.com/4BZwJnxrXl

— Ora Levitt  חיילת צה"ל  עם ישראל חי (@IDFsoldiergirl) May 14, 2024

Yum HaZikaron (Memorial Day) has ended, and Israel's Independence Day is starting. The Kotal (Western Wall) with celebrations and prayers for the Jewish state pic.twitter.com/agKhA6Qjyq

— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) May 13, 2024

In London, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign posted on its website a call to "take collective action in your workplace to stand in solidarity with Palestinians resisting the ongoing Nakba." It instructs readers to "Discuss with your colleagues what kind of action is best suited to your workplace and its circumstances." It recommends organizing a lunchtime walk-out in solidarity with Palestinians or a film screening to educate colleagues about the Palestinian struggle. It asks readers to circulate a petition calling on employers to speak up in solidarity with Palestine or for the divestment of pension fund holdings from companies complicit in Israel's attacks.

On the Jewish state's 76th Independence Day, President Joe Biden wrote in a letter to President Isaac Herzog, "The United States is proud of our enduring relationship with Israel. As the first country to recognize Israel as an independent state in 1948, our bonds are underpinned by shared democratic values, common interests, and cultural affinities. In the Wall Street Journal, the Helmsley Charitable Trust took out a full-page ad displaying the 1948 Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, hoping to contrast the growing anti-Israel sentiment in the US and remind readers of the Jewish people's ancient tie to the land.

The State of Israel was established 76 years ago. Throughout those years, Israel and the U.S. have been—and will remain—partners in democracy, their people bound by common values and interests.

The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel: https://t.co/gBEiZT0aev pic.twitter.com/Kc86UJQhFK

— Helmsley Charitable Trust (@HelmsleyTrust) May 14, 2024

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Israel on Sunday started observing Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. After a one-minute siren nationwide at 8 p.m., a state ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, led by President Isaac Herzog and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi was broadcast live on all major outlets.

Meanwhile, in various cities across Israel, Israelis attended various somber events that include musical performances by singers who will sing songs traditionally associated with national mourning, as well as speeches by various dignitaries.

Since the previous Memorial Day, 760 more fallen soldiers have been added to the tally, including 711 who fell during Oct. 7 and Operation Iron Swords.

The great number of casualties and deaths means that 4,236 Israelis have become bereaved this year, including 1,294 parents who lost their sons and daughters and 520 people who lost one or two of their parents. IDF Chief of Staff Halevi said ahead of Memorial Day the following.

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Israel on Tuesday evening rose from a somber Memorial Day to celebratory joy, ushering in its 75th Independence Day. Events were due to begin at 7: 45 p.m. (local time) with a ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem that brought Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism to a close.

Video: Amir Ettinger

The country then immediately segued into its birthday celebration with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana delivering the keynote address and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also sent a video message.

Leo Dee, who lost his daughters Maia and Rina as well his wife Lucy in the horrific shooting by a terrorist several weeks ago, was tapped to recite the Yizkor ("remember") prayer before the flag was once again raised to full-staff and the celebratory performances and speeches began.

Ohana's speech gave way to the torch-lighting ceremony, which traditionally kicks off Independence Day. This year, in light of the ongoing political turbulence due to the contested judicial reforms, the ceremony and the preceding remembrance events were supposed to provide a brief respite in the protests as both sides were to unite in honor of the special occasions. However, some minor heckling of cabinet ministers was noted during the day.  The protest movement also said it would fuse some of the celebrations with the protest movement in Tel Aviv's city center, where the biggest demonstrations have been taking place over the past several weeks. Celebrations will feature alongside speeaches and performances on democracy.

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Twelve men and women who made extraordinary contributions to the development of Israeli society were recognized this year in the state ceremony: Avigdor Kahalani, a former minister, MK and a retired brigadier general in the IDF; Lt. Col. D., the commander of the special forces unit Duvdevan; David Blatt, the famed basketball coah; Shalom Asayag, a comedian, actor and filmmaker; Nina Avidar Weiner, founding president of the Israel Scholarship Education Foundation; Vered Ben-Sadon, founder of the Tura winery in Judea and Samaria; Sivan Ya'ari, head of Innovation Africa; Dr. Avraham Rivkind, head of the general surgery unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital along with Dr. Hatam Hussein, specialist in internal medicine and infectious diseases who received her training at Rambam Medical College; Yehudit Negosa, founder and head of the Chance for Change pre-army preparatory academy; Reut Amichai, a 17-year-old volunteer with the Hashomer Hachadash youth group; Eliyahu Salah, who moved to Israel from Kurdistan, fought in the IDF and later founded the northern border community of Shtula; philanthropist and businessman Sylvan Adams, who has supported many projects in Israel in education and medicine; and Ofek Rishon, who was bullied from first to sixth grade and went on to establish the "Bully Patrol" project that helps children who are subject to bullying. 

The traditional handover of the state and military flags was to follow, during which a military unit is tasked with safeguarding the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces for the coming year. The unit that receives the flags of the unit that delivers them arrange opposite each other and once the flags are unfolded, rearranged, and handed over, an elaborate flags show commences.

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Israel's Memorial Day, otherwise known as the Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror – or "Yom HaZikaron" – began on Monday evening, marked by a one-minute-long siren in which Israelis stood in silence followed by commemorative events across the country. President Isaac Herzog kicked off the official state events at the Western Wall, speaking before an IDF honor guard.

At the ceremony, Herzog echoed his comments from the past several weeks, in which he has called on Israelis to strike a compromise over the contested judicial reforms that have led to unprecedented protests and has even hosted talks between the two warring camps. "I would like to ask all Israelis that we mourn together and that we give voice to our collective sorry, and to have a Memorial Day that is clear of controversy." IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who penned an oped in recent days in which he called on Israelis to rise above the political fray in respect of the fallen, said, "Tomorrow, we will check the various disputes we have outside the cemeteries so that we let the families, the commanders, and the soldiers unite in their sacred oath to honor their fallen comrades."

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Another siren will sound on Tuesday for two minutes as the main ceremonies on Mount Herzl's military cemetery will begin for the fallen in Israel's wars and later for Israelis murdered in terrorist attacks. Events will continue before the transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day, with celebrations kicking off on Tuesday night at the torch–lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on citizens to put aside differences on Monday, especially as it relates to the debate over the government's judicial reform initiative, for one day, as the country finds common cause in mourning its heroes.

"[As] we fix our gaze on the military sections in the cemeteries, every headstone there tells the story of a life that was cut short. The unity of silent bereavement in the cemeteries cries out to us at this time. Our loved ones who fell, our loved ones who paid for our revival with their lives, did so for us – and we must stand together for them, united, in order to be worthy of their sacrifice," he said at the Yad Labanim memorial event just before the official state ceremony on Monday evening.

The names of Israel's fallen soldiers will be broadcast on Israeli television from 8:45 p.m. on Monday until the following day, and can also be found on the Izkor website.

On Tuesday at 11 a.m., the nation will again come to a standstill when a two-minute siren sounds throughout the country. It will be immediately followed by an air force flyover of the Memorial Hall at Mount Herzl. Another state ceremony will then take place there, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance.

The time of commemoration was accompanied by changes in the circulation of buses and trains]. In accordance with an assessment of the security situation in Israel, a general closure was imposed on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which will continue until the end of Independence Day on Wednesday evening.

Check out the full schedule of events over the next couple of days:

Monday – the day before Memorial Day

4:30 p.m. – Opening of Yom Hazikaron events at the "Yad Labanim" education center in Jerusalem, in the presence of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials.

8:00 p.m. – A one–minute siren will sound across the country, during which Israelis will stand in silence.

8:01 p.m. – Opening ceremony of Memorial Day at Jerusalem's Wailing Wall, in the presence of President Isaac Herzog, the Israeli army's Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and bereaved families. The ceremony will include the lighting of a memorial candle, and the prayers "Yizkor" and "God full of mercy" will be recited in memory of Israel's martyrs.

9:15 p.m. – The national event "Songs in their memory" will be held in parliament under the sign: "Time has stood still." Video clips will be broadcast in memory of the deceased, including Major Bar Falah, a soldier who was killed seven months ago, as well as the Hillel brothers, who were killed in an attack near Hawara in the West Bank.

Tuesday

11:00 a.m. – A two–minute siren will sound across the country.

11:02 a.m. – Along with commemorative ceremonies across the country, the State Martyr Ceremony will be held at the Memorial Hall on Mount Herzl in the presence of Herzog and Netanyahu.

1:00 p.m. – The national commemoration ceremony for victims of terror will begin at the Mount Herzl complex.

7:45 p.m. – End of Memorial Day and the start of Independence Day festivities.

Parts of this article were reprinted with permission from JNS.org. This article was first published by i24NEWS 

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Palestinians will be allowed to take part in a ceremony in Israel for the Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, the Supreme Court of Justice ruled on Sunday.

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The court unanimously accepted the appeal filed against Defense Minister Yoav Galant's decision, banning the entry of about 150 Palestinians from the West Bank to take part in a commemoration between Israelis and Palestinians.

"Minister Galant has not provided any arguments explaining the change in circumstances that justify, in his view, preventing the entry of the Palestinians invited to the joint ceremony," the court ruled, ordering "the granting of entry permits to Israel to the Palestinian residents who applied to participate in the joint ceremony."

The High Court clarified, however, that the granting of entry permits to Israel would be subject to a case-by-case review, and in the absence of any security threat.

"The government's attempt, through Minister Galant, to act belligerently against the court and legal counsel is an attempt to stir up more strife on the backs of the bereaved families," said the Peace Fighters movement, which runs the Israeli-Palestinian Yom Hazikaron ceremony and submitted the petition to the High Court.

"Galant's decision aims to harm those who call for peace and hope. The High Court's decision was necessary and we welcome it," the movement added, confirming that the Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony would therefore take place as scheduled on Monday evening at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv.

This article was first published by i24NEWS. 

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