David Rokni, an Israeli reserve colonel who served as the commander of the annual Israel Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem for nearly four decades, died on March 8, 2026.
Born in Kermanshah, Iran, on January 6, 1932, he became widely known in Israel for organizing and leading the ceremony for 37 consecutive years. In 2013, a documentary film about the torch-lighting ceremony and Rokni’s role, The Ceremony, won the Audience Award at the DocAviv Festival.
David Rokni (Hebrew: דוד רוקני; January 6, 1932 – March 8, 2026) was an Israeli reserve colonel. He became an Israeli icon as the commander of the annual Israel Independence Day torch lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem for nearly four decades.