It has been twenty-five years since former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated – and for the first time since, the annual memorial at Mt. Herzl will not be held. In spite of the cancellation, activists instead intend on rallying in Tel Aviv at Rabin Square where he was assassinated.
The memorial was cancelled both due to coronavirus limitations limiting the gathering of crowds, and extensive construction at the Great Leaders of the Nation's Plot on Mt. Herzl, where several of Israel's former prime ministers are buried.
In light of the changes, Rabin's family decided to hold a small memorial near the plot with close family members in attendance.They plan on saying kaddish over the grave before moving on to the Knesset to continue the memorial.
The family invites the public to join in commemorating Rabin by participating in a variety of online events and projects.
Despite the cancellation of the memorial, activists from the "Hozrim LeKikar" group (Returning to the Square) plan to hold a huge rally at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.
Activists said in a release that it is "our responsibility to make sure that the square is full."
The rally will be held on the 25th anniversary of the assassination – Wednesday, November 4, 2020.
Activists are planning to show the movie Incitement, known as Yamim Nora'im (Awe Filled Days) in Hebrew, which portrays the events that led up to Rabin's assassination.
The rally will be held following coronavirus regulations and in coordination with the Health Ministry and the Israel Police.