Day to Praise

Day to Praise
Logo of the 'Day to Praise' Global initiative
Observed by	Jews and Christians
Celebrations	Reciting of Hallel (Psalms 113–118) in Synagogues, in Church groups or by individuals to celebrate the State of Israel on Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel's Independence Day).
Date	5 Iyar (Hebrew calendar) – ה' אייר
2016 date	12 May (ד' אייר התשע"ו)
2017 date	2 May (ו' אייר התשע"ז)
2018 date	19 April (ד' אייר התשע"ח)
2019 date	9 May (ד' אייר התשע"ט)
Frequency	Annual

Day to Praise (Hebrew: יום הלל Yom Hallel) is a global initiative set forth by CJCUC Chancellor & Founder, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin and CJCUC Executive Director, David Nekrutman. The initiative takes to form in an annual event on Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel's Independence Day) in which Christians world-wide are called on and invited by Rabbi Riskin to recite Hallel (Psalms 113–118) with the Jewish People in a celebration to praise God for the State of Israel.

Hallel consists of six Psalms (113–118), which are recited as a unit, on joyous occasions. These occasions include the following: The three pilgrim festivals Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot (the "bigger" Jewish holy days, mentioned in the Torah) and Hanukkah and Rosh Chodesh (beginnings of the new month). Two years after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Chief Rabbinate in Israel decided that Yom Ha'atzmaut should be given the status of a minor Jewish holiday on which Hallel (Psalms 113–118) be recited. The recitation of the blessing over Hallel was introduced in 1973 by Israeli Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren.

In October 2014, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the Chancellor & Founder of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC), became the first Orthodox rabbi to invite Christian visitors to Israel to participate in a "praise rally" with Jewish interfaith leaders at the Center's headquarters during the holiday of Sukkot during which Hallel was recited. This celebratory event would serve as the basis for the eventual conception of the global 'Day to Praise' initiative.