Tuesday, Memorial Day, a drive-by shooting wounded a man in his 20s near the town of Ofra. The victim was participating in a commemorative run, in honor of fallen soldiers, when a passing Palestinian driver opened fire, hitting his arm. The IDF is currently searching for the terrorist. This marks the second terror attack in less than 24 hours, following a serious ramming attack last night in central Jerusalem, which wounded 7-8 people. The attack Tuesday morning occurred just minutes before Israelis all over the country stood for the two-minute siren in honor of the fallen.

Tonight, Israel will transition from mourning to celebration as Memorial Day exits and Independence Day enters. Independence Day will be marked by numerous ceremonies, an aerial display by Air Force jets (including some foreign jets and pilots joining the flyover!), street parties and family barbecues. The juxtaposition is a challenging one for grieving families.

Please pray for the emotional transition of the bereaved families as the country moves to celebration tonight. Please continue to pray for healing for the wounded, and that no more terror attacks would occur during Independence Day. Lastly, please pray that God would use the shared experience of celebrating independence to reunify the fragmented Israeli society.