A Nation Remembers: Tens of Thousands of Young Israelis Light Candles for the Fallen

Ahead of Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror, tens of thousands of members from the Bnei Akiva youth movement are participating in the "Candle for the Fallen" initiative at cemeteries across the country — including northern cemeteries that were closed last year due to the war.

Bnei Akiva members placing a flag on the grave of a terror victim | Photo: Bnei Akiva

Candle for the Fallen
As Memorial Week begins, tens of thousands of Bnei Akiva youth members are visiting cemeteries across Israel as part of the “Candle for the Fallen” initiative, where they honor the memory of approximately 3,000 victims of terror. This year, participants will also visit the graves of hundreds of those murdered in the Simchat Torah Massacre of 2023, who have joined the long list of the fallen.

A Project Launched Over 20 Years Ago
The initiative, launched more than two decades ago by former Bnei Akiva Secretary-General Danny Hirshberg, invites participants to learn the personal story of each fallen individual, light a memorial candle on their grave, place a small Israeli flag, recite Psalms, and leave a handwritten letter.
This year, youth members will return to cemeteries in northern Israel, which were inaccessible last year due to ongoing hostilities.

“This project holds sorrow, pain, and immense power.” Bnei Akiva members placing a flag on the grave of a terror victim | Photo: Bnei Akiva

Bnei Akiva Secretary-General Yigal Klein emphasized: “The ‘Candle for the Fallen’ project holds sorrow, pain, and immense strength. Bnei Akiva members who visit the graves with candles and flags embody the bond between remembrance and renewal. This young generation, which has endured the Iron Swords War, proves that they are the Generation of Victory — a generation that chooses to continue in the footsteps of the fallen and declares through their actions: Am Yisrael Chai — the Nation of Israel Lives.”