Live From Jerusalem - It's Yom HaAtzmaut!

If you're not in Israel today, it's likely that your streets are not teeming with throngs of happy people noisily inching their way through crowds, hitting each other with plastic hammers and axes, and spraying everyone with artificial snow and silly string.

If you happen to be in Israel, you know what we're talking about. After a day of sadness and sober recollection of lives lost in battles and terror attacks, Israel's Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron) gives way to the joy of celebrating another anniversary of the country's founding.

Sure, you can find video clips of formal ceremonies with speakers praising the great accomplishments of this tiny country, but that's not the way most of the population celebrates Yom HaAtzmaut. What they do is go to parties and celebrate in the streets with music and food.

Not wanting to be left out, we hit the streets of downtown Jerusalem last night to see the partying first hand. With two young grandsons in tow, we couldn't stay out very late, but just late enough to capture some of the excitement.

Today's video shows one of the bands playing all night at two outdoor stages set up about a half-mile apart, and the scene as you walk up the Ben Yehuda Street mall connecting them.

The celebrations continue today until nightfall, with the smoke and aromas of barbecues filling the air.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)