The traditional ceremony known as “A Flag for the Fallen” was held at Israel’s military cemeteries yesterday. Israeli soldiers and police officers placed a small flag on each and every grave of those who have fallen in defense of the Jewish state. The ceremony takes place just before Memorial Day, Yom HaZikaron in Hebrew.

Tonight (Tuesday) at 8 p.m. Israel time sirens will wail across the country for one minute, marking the official beginning of Memorial Day, which includes remembrance of those killed in terrorist attacks. The number of fallen is calculated from the year 1860, when the Jewish return to and resettlement of the Land began in earnest, also known as the Zionist movement. This is marked by the construction of the first Jewish neighborhood outside the Old City walls of Jerusalem.

Since 1860, the Jewish people and Israel have lost 24,068 members of the security forces in defending our place in this sacred land. The number of civilian victims of terror stands at 4,216. The past year saw 56 additional fallen and victims added to those tallies. Israel will also this year commemorate 84 disabled citizens who died in the past year as a result of their conditions.

Following the one-minute siren, during which the entire nation comes to a standstill, the official state ceremony will begin at the Western Wall. Tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. the sirens will sound again, and again the whole country will come to a halt, this time for two minutes as we remember the sacrifices made for the rebirth of the nation of Israel.