Dedication of the Yad Kennedy Memorial

Yad Kennedy, located in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council near Jerusalem, Israel, is a memorial to John F. Kennedy, President of the United States, who was assassinated in 1963.

The memorial, 60 feet high, is shaped like a felled tree trunk, symbolizing a life cut short. Inside is a bust of John F. Kennedy, with an eternal flame burning in the center. It is encircled by 51 columns, each bearing the emblem of a state (50 states and the District of Columbia). The monument was built in 1966 with funds donated by Jewish communities in the USA.

It was designed by the Israeli architect David Resnick.

The site is located seven miles from downtown Jerusalem, in the same general direction as Hadassah Medical Center. It is reached by following the winding mountain roads past Ora and Aminadav. The monument and adjoining picnic grounds are part of the John F. Kennedy Peace Forest.

The Jerusalem District is one of six administrative districts of Israel. Its land area is 652 km² (including East Jerusalem, administered by Israel since 1967). Its population of ~900,000 includes 67.9% Jews and 30.3% Arabs, the vast majority of whom are non citizens (who are eligible for citizezship under Israeli law) in disputed East Jerusalem, (non-Jewish population includes 28.3% Muslims, 1.8% Christians and 1.4% unclassified by religion). The district capital is Jerusalem.