Torch-lighting Ceremony (Israel)

The ceremony, which is broadcast live on the main television and radio channels, is designed to give the Day a dignified and festive atmosphere.

The lighting of 12 torches that symbolize the Twelve Tribes of Israel by people who are seen to have made an outstanding contribution to society is the ceremony's highlight, alongside music performances, dances, parades and fireworks.

A public advisory committee headed by the Director of the Information Center examines the proposals and chooses the torchbearers for that year.

The entourage is then greeted with the ceremonial fanfare sound played by three trumpeters from the IDF Orchestra and the raising of the Speaker's flag.

At the end of his speech, the Speaker is honored to kindle the central torch, marking the formal beginning of Independence Day.

Every torchbearer introduces himself, elaborates in honor of who or what he is kindling the torch, and ends his speech with the words "To the glory of the State of Israel!".

The celebrational part of the ceremony begins with the drilling exercises performed by the soldiers bearing the flags of various IDF, police and fire and rescue services units.

During the exercises, soldiers of the color guard create accurate structures symbolizing various things relevant to the central ceremony.

At the end of the exercises, two additional segments, consisting of song/dance numbers, are presented, first celebrating the central theme and the second Independence Day.

Afterward, everyone sings the national anthem of Israel, Hatikvah, as the parade renders the final honors to the dignitaries present.

Football player Eli Ohana won, but the criticism grew when the public found out that many of Israel's greatest athletes were not among other eleven torchbearers.

At the same ceremony, one of the torchbearers, Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg, whose daughter Rivka Holzberg was killed in a 2008 Mumbai attacks, changed the regular formula said when lighting the torches, saying "For the glory of the State of Eretz (the land of) Israel" because of the pressure put on him by Chabad leaders who objected to his participation, saying that if the rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson were alive he would have forbidden him from taking part, out of opposition to Zionism.

[1][6][7] On 18 April 2012, during a ceremony rehearsal, Lieutenant Hila Bezaleli was killed and seven other soldiers from the flag squad were injured when a steel lighting rig above the square collapsed.

[14] In the end, a compromise was reached by which Prime Minister was allowed to give a short speech in honor of Israel's 70th anniversary and even kindle a torch together with the Speaker.