Masa, the leader in global Jewish and Israel-focused programming, is set to hold its 17th annual Yom HaZikaron ceremony at Yad L’Shiryon in Latrun, Israel, on Tuesday evening, April 29, 2025, at 7:45 PM. This significant event, recognized as the largest English-language observance of its kind, will gather over 4,500 attendees in person, along with countless viewers worldwide, to honor Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror.
This year’s commemoration carries special significance in the wake of the October 7 massacre, the ongoing war, and a sharp rise in global antisemitism. Under the theme “Together We Remember,” the ceremony aims to provide a space for collective mourning and resilience, emphasizing the importance of hope amidst profound grief and shock.
Notable attendees at the ceremony will include Yossi Fuchs, Cabinet Secretary of the Government of Israel; Rebecca Caspi, Senior VP, Global Operations & Director General of JFNA Israel; and Yehuda Setton, CEO of The Jewish Agency for Israel. They will be joined by Masa Fellows and alumni, board members, Jewish Federation delegates, bereaved families, and community members in honoring the memory of those lost.
This year’s ceremony will share the poignant stories of Masa alumni who fell in battle, including Major General Ronny Ganizat Z”L, a French combat soldier who died in combat in South Lebanon on September 10, 2024. He was in his third round of reserves since the outbreak of war and left behind a wife and young children. Another honored soldier will be Sergeant Ilan Cohen Z”L, an Argentinian combat soldier who fell in Gaza while participating in an operation that successfully returned four kidnapped bodies.
Additionally, the ceremony will commemorate Captain (posthumously) Daniel Peretz Z”L, a South African-born platoon commander in the Armored Corps, who fell defending the Nahal Oz outpost on October 7. His body was kidnapped into Gaza and has yet to be returned. The event will also highlight the tragic stories of Hersh Goldberg-Polin Z”L, who was shot and kidnapped from the Nova Festival near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7, 2023, and whose death was announced on September 1, 2024, when his body was recovered from Gaza; Bruna Valeanu Z”L, who made Aliyah from Brazil in 2014 and served as a shooting instructor in the army, murdered at the Nova Festival; Hanani Glazer Z”L, also from Brazil, who was killed while trying to escape the Nova Festival; and Inspector Andrei Poshibai Z”L, born in Ukraine, who bravely acted to rescue people from the Nova Festival on October 7 and was the last officer to fall.
“Yom HaZikaron, our Day of Remembrance, is an essential part of Israel and the Jewish people,” said Meir Holtz, CEO of Masa Israel Journey. “Each year, we hold the ceremony in English and other languages to make this day accessible to Masa fellows in Israel in a language they understand and with content they can relate to. This year, this goal feels more important than ever. The Jewish people are at a pivotal moment; our unity and solidarity are critical. That’s why this year’s theme is ‘Together We Remember.’ This ceremony is for us to focus on the heroes, cherish the world they left behind, and try to be worthy of their sacrifice. May their memory be a blessing.”
Masa alumni and staff will also honor the memories of their fallen loved ones, including Captain Omer Neutra Z”L (USA), whose body is still being held by Hamas. His childhood friend Abigail, a Masa fellow, will speak about Omer during the ceremony. Additionally, Sofia, an American participating in a Masa program in Israel, will honor the memory of Yogev Pezi Z”L, an Israeli who served as a Shaliach to a Jewish summer camp in the United States.
Wreaths will be laid by bereaved families and representatives from the Israeli government, Keren Ha-Yesod, and JFNA. A prayer for the safe return of all hostages will also be delivered during the ceremony. “On Yom HaZikaron, we come together with deep sadness and a strong sense of responsibility,” said Chairman of The Jewish Agency, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog. “We remember the brave men and women who gave their lives for the State of Israel. Their memory serves as a moral compass, connecting the past to the future.”
The stories shared during the ceremony will illustrate the deep connection between the Jewish people and the State of Israel, highlighting the courage, love, and hope that characterize the Israeli spirit. “Together, we remember. Together, we grieve. Together, we honor the memory of those who have fallen defending our homeland. And together, we hold our heads high with hope for the future,” Almog added.
For those unable to attend in person, the event will be broadcast live on the Jerusalem Post website, as well as on Masa’s Facebook and YouTube channels, ensuring that Jewish communities worldwide can participate in this solemn observance.