Israel's Independence Day began as soon as the sun set at the end of its traditional Memorial Day, May 7. "When soldiers die, it is very sad," Spielberg said, "but then begins the celebration of the life of the country ... It shows that the soldiers didn't die for nothing. It shows that I was not serving for nothing, that my kids will not serve for nothing."
Boaz Leberman, 19, said you can't really enjoy Independence Day "without realizing what it has cost to have this country."
The siren wailed for one full minute as everyone fell silent at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Memorial Day. Old and young, religious and secular, soldiers and students, all joined together at the wall and all over the country to remember Israel's fallen soldiers.
Since 1860, 22,437 soldiers have died, when the first settlers moved outside Jerusalem's walls, and of these, 65 were killed since last Memorial Day, according to Israeli newspaper, Ha'aretz.
"People died for our country," Meir Trus, 17, said. "Because of them, we have the country. We feel the impact of this in every day that we are able to live our lives in safety."
Yotam Ruf, 20, a commander in the Israeli army, was at the wall when his soldiers swore into the army. One week later, he returned to the wall to commemorate Memorial Day. "Being here again tonight tells me the reason I'm here, the reason I do what I do."
Rachel Gold, 17, agreed. "Next year, we will all be in the army. That could be my friend, that could be me."
Memorial Day also commemorates those who have died in terrorist attacks. According to Ha'aretz, 1,634 civilians have been killed in terror attacks since the state's establishment, and 24 people killed since last Memorial Day.
This year has special meaning for Trus, whose brother's friend died in the last terrorist attack this March at a Yeshiva, a Jewish religious seminary for young men. "But even if you didn't personally know someone who died, it feels like a part of you has died," Trus said.
Ruf's feelings about Memorial Day have never changed. "It's no different if you're a child or a soldier," he said. "Israel is my country and that's it."
Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.
