Next week on Wednesday, June 1, we (the Jewish people) will mark Jerusalem Day — a holiday that celebrates one of the most enchanting cities in the world.
I was born in Jerusalem; my father’s family still lives there. For me the simplicity and spirituality of that amazing city can be found in every street corner, on the people’s faces and in the air. Something about that place makes you feel like you are home.
As a true history lover, every time I enter the city through Shaar Hagai (the valley gate — the road surrounded by mountains that leads to Jerusalem), I think about its great historical importance. When I think of the battles fought there, something unexplainable awakens in the heart. It is as if the entrance alone is preparing me to change my state of mind — even before I enter this remarkable city.
Jerusalem’s many battles
Who hasn’t fought for Jerusalem? Of course, the Jews, but don’t forget the Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Greek, Romans, crusaders, Muslims, Ottomans, British and others. Everyone tried to catch a piece of that G-d plot called Israel. And in doing so, none of them forgot to visit its most important place: Jerusalem.
Jerusalem has 70 different names in Hebrew, all of them describe beauty and holiness. In the Talmud it says that the world got 10 degrees of beauty and Jerusalem got nine of them.
Jerusalem is where they say Kein killed Hevel, where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac. In this city, 3,000 years ago, one of the most significant events for the Jewish people happened: we became a united people, a nation. By uniting the 12 tribes, King David conquered Jerusalem and made it the eternal capital city of the Jewish people. His son, King Solomon, built the holy temple there, and after centuries, King Herod renewed it.
Through all the exile that the Jewish people had seen, whether it was difficult or comfortable, the Jews have dreamed about the land of Israel, and in it — Jerusalem. Even today, we pray to the East — the direction of Jerusalem. When we get married we break glass to remember the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.
Of course, Jerusalem is the home of a very special place. It’s a place without glamour, a place symbolized by its simplicity and humbleness — the Western Wall. When you walk to the Kotel (Western Wall) through the Jewish quarter, you suddenly come upon this breathtaking sight. Touching the great stones, which came directly from the times of King Solomon, and knowing that you are standing where the temple once stood is magical. But the Western Wall we see is only the tip of the iceberg. The wall stretches wider and deeper than anybody could have thought. You can feel the link that connects the past with the future.
The best time to be at the Western Wall is during the High Holidays, when thousands of Israelis are gathered to pray, sing and dance together, just like biblical times. This experience makes you feel like you suddenly know the pure meaning of the Jewish people, no matter how religious you are. And hearing the shofar brings you as close as you can get to the holy temple.
A sacred city to all
Jerusalem is sacred to Christians and Muslims too, and contains many churches and mosques. While at times it seems everyone in Jerusalem lives in harmony, at other times, the movement of one tiny rock from one place to another, seems to be the cause for a third world war.
Until 1967, Jews couldn’t pray at the Western Wall that was under the control of the Jordanians. The entire city was divided in half and the conditions were unbearable. Then, one day during the 1967 war — a war that was forced on Israel by its neighbors — the Israeli paratroopers liberated eastern Jerusalem, including the Western Wall.
From that day in 1967, Israelis celebrate Yom Yerushalaim (Jerusalem day) to remember the day when finally, a Jewish presence was renewed in east Jerusalem and at the Wall. Let us all remember this special city this month.
