Israel’s Foreign Minister Moseh Sharett (R) seated with members provisional govt, Golda Meir Israel while Israel Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion reads Proclamation of Nationhood. Jerusalem, Israel May 1948.
ϟ Yom Yerushalayim Reflections
Written by Joshua Werdiger - a new moderator of ours who will be posting more regularly in the future.
You could feel it coming. Everyone was waiting for the date to arrive. The main festivities started with a march from Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav, where 8 young bnei torah were horrifically murdered four years ago by a Palestinian terrorist over their yeshivah. Since the massacre, a tradition started to walk from the yeshivah to the Kotel. At the yeshiavh, hundreds of people packed in for the Tefilot Chagigit, and then the dancing started. A couple of people had bongo drums, the march was directed by men with megaphones leading the singing with the songs, leading the hundreds of people clad in Israeli and Jerusalem flags, waving them on poles. This scene sent a chill down my spine, realizing what we were celebrating.
In 1967, after six days of non stop fighting, Jerusalem was released from Jordanian rule to Israeli rule, marking the first time Jerusalem was under Jewish rule since biblical times. We were celebrating Freedom. Celebrating and exercising our right to pray at the Western Wall, to be able to do what so many before us were not able to do for so long. Marching and dancing through the streets of Jerusalem arm in arm with random people, all my brothers not physically, but spiritually. We marched to show that this is OUR city. We need to treasure what we have, understand the importance of it, and take advantage of this privilege.
After dancing and praying at the kotel all night, there was a large vatikin (sunrise) minyan for shacharit. It was incredible to be at the kotel praying as you can see the sun light up the Jerusalem stone buildings, turning it golden. I guess that’s where the name of the song ‘yerushalayim shel zahav’ (jerusalem of gold) came from.
At around 4.30 in the afternoon there was the main march to the Kotel, much larger than the night before, down King George street towards Damascus Gate, passing through the Arab quarter to get to the Wall. Thousands of Jews joined in the celebrations and even more joined along the way. Different types of people. Ashkenazim, Sephardim, even some members of the more Charedi community. All were there to celebrate our ownership and freedom to live in Jerusalem. Many were groups from their respective yeshivot, wearing t-shirts with the name and slogan of their school to show where they originated. As we passed the final bend and saw the kotel, in all its majestic beauty, we erupted in song with the words ‘Yibane Hamikdash, Ir Tzion Temaleh’ – (Build the Temple and the city of Zion) and it was magical. We arrived at sunset, so the golden effect was still going. There was a stage set up and a band so everyone started dancing. I wrote a prayer to G-d for many things, but primarily for success and good health for those whom I care about and to bring the final peace to the world. It was an incredible 24 hours and an amazing day, a whirlwind of emotion.
