- February 12, 2026
- 12:37 pm
- Israel
In Israel, a program of events from February 22–24 has been announced, dedicated to the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This is not a series of “official protocols” and not an attempt to speak for Ukraine instead of Ukrainians.
Quite the opposite: people are simply invited to come and stand together, so that memory does not become a solitary experience that everyone endures silently at home.
The formats vary: a prayer at the Western Wall, an evening of remembrance and testimonies, and then a large ceremony in the center of Tel Aviv.
Where and when the events will take place in Israel from February 22–24
February 22, 11:00 — prayer for Ukraine at the Western Wall
Meeting place — Jerusalem, Western Wall.
The format is declared as open: no closed lists, no “only for our own.” A public prayer at such a point usually gathers people of very different views and backgrounds, but on these dates, the meaning converges into one line: presence, memory, support.
Some come for ten minutes.
Some stay longer because they can’t let go inside.
February 23, 18:30 — “Word about the War” at Terminal Bat Yam
The next day, on the evening of February 23, the event moves to Bat Yam, at Terminal Bat Yam on Derech Ben Gurion 130.
An evening of remembrance and truth “Word about the War” is announced. The organizers particularly emphasize the practical part: entry by ticket 50 shekels, and the collected funds will be directed to purchase generators for Ukraine.
This is an important detail because the war in Ukraine has long become a war not only for territories but also for energy, warmth, light, the ability to survive the night in winter when a strike on infrastructure leaves entire neighborhoods without electricity.
The special guest of the evening is the released Ukrainian prisoner of war Oleksiy Anulya, who will present his book “Jingle Bells.” A detailed program is promised, but even without it, the main thing is clear: this will be a conversation not “about geopolitics,” but about human experience, which many would prefer never to receive.
February 24, 18:30 — memorial ceremony at Habima Square in Tel Aviv
The culmination — February 24 at 18:30 at Habima Square in Tel Aviv.
The organizers, Israeli Friends of Ukraine, describe the ceremony as an evening of quiet unity and shared memory. Words here can indeed be superfluous: sometimes a candle, silence, and people nearby are enough for the meaning to sound louder than any stage.
February 24 is a date that in Ukraine is not “in the calendar,” but in the body.
“This is an evening of quiet unity and shared memory.
We will gather together to remember all whose lives were taken by the war, to honor the fallen, and to support those who continue the struggle.
February 24 is a day that forever changed Ukraine and each of us. At this time, it is especially important to be close, to feel each other’s shoulder, and to show that memory lives on.
The ceremony will be a space of respect, light, and solidarity. A place where words are sometimes unnecessary, and presence speaks more.
The event is organized by “Israeli Friends of Ukraine” with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel.
We very much want to see you this evening“, write the organizers (translated from Ukrainian).
And in the Israeli context, this is read especially acutely: the country also lives with the experience of loss, trauma, and the feeling that your safety can be broken in one day.
Details from the organizers – https://www.facebook.com/events/2574024116328282/.
Why these meetings are important specifically for Israel
Currently, tens of thousands of Ukrainians live in Israel, having ended up here because of the war.
Some arrived in the first weeks and still cannot normally pronounce the word “home” without a pause.
Some have built a life, work, school for their children, but every morning begins with a smartphone: what happened at night, where it hit, who is alive, who is not responding.
There are also Israelis who have looked at the word “solidarity” in a new way over the past years. After October 7, many understand how quickly the world “tires” of someone else’s pain, how easily the news feed switches, and how important support is when it seems you are left alone with the threat.
In this sense, the events of February 22–24 are not just “about Ukraine somewhere far away.” It’s about a common nerve that is felt almost physically in Israel today.
And therefore, we record them not as a poster, but as part of the reality in which people live next to us.
At the heart of this program is a simple thought: memory should not be private, hidden in a room. NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency sees in these meetings a rare thing — a moment when words do not replace action, and support is measured by the step you took and came.
Briefly. Without pathos. But truly.
How to join and what to understand in advance
If you are going on February 22 in Jerusalem, do not expect a “concert” or show.
This is a point where people often remain silent.
And that’s okay.
If you choose February 23 in Bat Yam, remember about the ticket and that the money goes not to “abstract help,” but to a very specific need of Ukraine: generators, which mean light and warmth where the energy system is regularly hit.
If you come on February 24 to Habima, be prepared for a large human space and that emotions may overwhelm unexpectedly. On such dates, even the most “composed” people sometimes have their internal control crack.
And, honestly, there is meaning in this too: memory should hurt, otherwise it becomes a formality.
The organizers also call on those who are ready to help with the organization or become a partner to contact them through their Facebook page and leave contacts.
This is precisely the case when “help” can be not only a donation but also hands: logistics, sound, candles, translation, coordination of people, any simple tasks that make up a real community.
These three days do not cancel the war.
Do not bring back the dead.
But they give something important: the feeling that Ukraine is not alone, and that in Israel there are people who are ready to be nearby not only in the news but also in the real space of the city.
