5 Iyyar · observed date may vary
Yom HaAtzmaut
Historical context
Yom HaAtzmaut’s nominal Hebrew date is 5 Iyyar, the anniversary of the 14 May 1948 declaration. Israeli law moves the observed date when 5 Iyyar falls on Friday, Saturday, or Monday. There is no fixed Gregorian anniversary.
Archive record
Read the event, then follow its documented sources and archive threads.
- Date
- 5 Iyyar · observed date may vary
- Verified sources
- 2
- Archive threads
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Yom HaAtzmaut marks Israel’s independence, declared by David Ben-Gurion on 5 Iyyar 5708 / 14 May 1948. The Independence Day Law, 5709–1949, sets the annual nominal date as 5 Iyyar, immediately after Yom HaZikaron. The 1948 declaration is a separate civil-day story.
The nominal Hebrew date is not always the observed date. If 5 Iyyar falls on Friday or Saturday, Independence Day is celebrated on the preceding Thursday (3 or 4 Iyyar). The 2004 amendment adds: if 5 Iyyar falls on Monday, the day is observed on Tuesday, 6 Iyyar, so Memorial Day ceremonies do not begin on Saturday night. The holiday is therefore observed on 5 Iyyar itself only when that date is a Wednesday. There is no fixed Gregorian anniversary.
Research trail
Sources and further reading
- חוק יום העצמאות, תש״ט–1949, as amended · Knesset · Sefer Ha-Chukkim View source
- חוק יום הזכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל ויום העצמאות (תיקוני חקיקה), התשס״ד–2004 · Knesset · Sefer Ha-Chukkim (2004-03-03) View source
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