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“It is Wednesday, June 7th, 1967, Iyar 28 5727, 19 years and 23 days after the first Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. At 9:50am, the Temple Mount is liberated and Jerusalem reunited. 25 minutes later, the chief chaplain to the Israel Defence Forces, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, arrives in a jeep, carrying a sefer Torah and blows the shofar at the Western Wall.
The Defence Minister, General Moshe Dayan, stands before the Wall, tears a piece of paper from his notebook and writes…Shalom al Yisrael, “Peace be upon Israel.” He places it as a kvittel, a written plea, between the crevices of the old, huge stones of the Wall, observing and age-old Jewish tradition. General Yitzchak Rabin does the same, having written, Zeh hayom…nagilah v’nismechah vo “This is the day which the Eternal One has made; we will be glad and rejoice upon it,” quoting from the Psalms.
For the first time since the year 70 C.E., Jews are free to stand, pray and dance at the kotel ma’aravi, the Western Wall, the only remaining section of the Second Temple. It is the crowning achievement of the Six-Day War and one with the historic announcement, “All of Jerusalem is in our hands,” unified for a moment, religious and secular in tears of joy and thanksgiving."
Today, Iyar 29 5769, Jews throughout Israel commemorate Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, as a national holiday.The day is marked by state ceremonies, memorial services for soldiers who died in the battle for Jerusalem, parades through downtown Jerusalem, some recite the Hallel in synagogues, others attend lectures on Jerusalem-related topics and all receive special television programming. In the preceding week schoolchildren throughout the country learn about the significance of Jerusalem, and schools in Jerusalem hold festive assemblies.
Under the 1947 UN Partition Plan, which proposed the establishment of two states in Palestine - a Jewish state and an Arab state - Jerusalem was to be an international city, neither exclusively Arab nor Jewish for a period of ten years, at which point a referendum would be held by Jerusalem residents to determine which country to join. The Jewish leadership accepted the plan, including the internationalization of Jerusalem, but the Arabs turned it down. As soon as Israel declared its independence in 1948, it was attacked by its Arab neighbours and Jordan conquered east Jerusalem and the Old City.
Yom Yerushalayim has remained a national holiday. The ambiguity of the religious status of this holiday is reflected in celebrations - or lack thereof - outside of Israel. While the city of Jerusalem has significant meaning for all Jews, Yom Yerushalayim has yet to obtain the popularity of Yom Ha'atzmaut and is not observed extensively outside of Israel.
Few Jewish communities hold special services or events and I am unaware of any Progressive Community in this country that marks the day, although I guess I am doing so in some way today. the international community has never approved the "reunification" of the city under Israeli sovereignty, and many countries have not recognized Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State. Indeed, Yom Yerushalayim makes many politically liberal Diaspora Jews, at best uncomfortable. Should this event be marked by singing and dancing in the light of continued conflict, violence and deep-seated emotions surrounding its status; should one be seen to gloat over one’s political independence when neighbours are still to obtain theirs?
There can be no doubt as to the victor in the first meeting this week of today’s Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu and the President of the United States of America, Barak Obama. Bibi was chastened. The appearance of the two men said it all: Barak relaxed, sat back in his chair, with the conviction that his approach was just and right. Bibi sat on the edge of his chair, wringing his hands with a vexed, concerned face trying almost pleading, but failing to influence. He seemed resigned to the fact that the argument that Israel’s security was primary to the plight of the Palestinian people, no longer had might, let alone right on its side.
In a comment piece for Ha’aretz, Gideon Levy powerfully describes Obama as Israel’s greatest friend: The man who can bring peace to Israel and to the region. He is not going to allow Israel’s existence to be a question. Yet, his method challenges the assumptions of Israel’s political right, of which this Government is a part. Obama’s way is for Israel to lay the ground for peace by stopping the settlement building, even for ‘natural growth,’ and let the tide of support from the Arab world, as equally fearful of Iran as many in Israel, be the coat tails to America insuring Iran is encouraged to be the economic powerhouse that it should be, so its nationalistic dreams can be quietly forgotten. If it does not seek this opportunity, The State of Israel will be send as a warmonger, rather than a peace-loving nation, that extends its deep concern for human life from the Jew, to humanity.
Today, on a day that celebrates a famous and just victory against the Arab Nations, is the day to acknowledge that celebrating war victories, be consigned to a commemoration of history. Let Iyar 28, take its place in the annuls of history, a day of commemoration and remembrance that leads into a day of celebration; one that marks peace for the State of Israel, all its citizens and its neighbours.
On Yom Yerushalayim, a quote from the Psalms is often used amongst the celebrations in Israel:(Psalm 122:4) Ir shehubrah lah yahdaiv-- "a city that is compact together" or "a city uniting all." Let us hope and pray that on future Yamim Yerushalayim, this verse is quoted by people’s of all religion and by all the citizens of Jerusalem, to acknowledge the centrality of the Holy City to the three Abrahamic Faiths. May it be a signal of a messianic age of peace in God’s City on earth. On that day, may the whole world celebrate a holiday of peace. On that day all Synagogues will recite Hallel. On that day, may a shofar herald the freedom of the City of Jerusalem.
Amen.
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