Israel was set to transition from Remembrance Day to celebrations of its 66th Independence Day at the annual torch lighting ceremony at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl on Monday evening.
People from all over the country, together with visitors from abroad, are expected to come together with IDF personnel and the Knesset guard to usher in Independence Day at the event.
This year the celebration takes on a somewhat different format, as all 14 beacon lighters will be women.
Among those women chosen to light torches at the ceremony are tennis star Shachar Pe'er and journalist Carmela Menashe.
Following the ceremony and the official entrance into Independence Day, Israelis are expected to hit the streets for celebrations including fireworks displays and performances by popular recording artists in cities across the country.
Tuesday will see millions of Israelis hit the country's roads to partake in barbecues in customary Independence Day fashion.
Early tomorrow morning, President Shimon Peres will host a reception in honor of IDF commanders from the War of Independence onward. Current and former defense ministers have also been invited. At the conclusion of this reception there will be a fly past in formation of air force planes in a salute to Independence Day and to 120 outstanding young soldiers who will be honored.
The soldiers will form an honor guard for the event to be inspected by Peres and Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz prior to the ceremony at which each will be singled out for a citation and a scholarship.
Peres will be joined on stage by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, and Gantz who will all follow a tradition initiated by Peres and sing their favorite Independence Day songs Community singing is one of the features of both official and informal Independence Day celebrations all over the country, and this year the presidential celebration will be dedicated to the country’s all-time icon of song, Arik Einstein, who died last November less than two months before what would have been his 75th birthday.
Peres has chosen to sing Oof Gozal (Fly Little Bird) in a duet with Rita. Netanyahu will sing Shir Hashayara (The song of the convoy) together with Shlomi Saranga; Ya’alon will sing Ima Adama (Mother Earth) with Kobi Aflalo; and Gantz will sing Shir Shel Aharei Hamilhama (The song for after the war) with Yuval Dayan.