This day, regarded by some as even more of a miracle than Yom HaAtzmaut, represented the re-unification of the ancient capital city of Israel, Yerushalayim. Some who are not ready to say Hallel on Independence Day will, nevertheless, say it on the Day of the Re-Unification of Jerusalem.

In the midst of the Six-Day War of June, 1967, Israel warned King Hussein of Jordan to stay out of the conflict. But he make a momentus “miscalculation,” and threw his forces into the battle with Israel. Israel responded by driving the Jordanian Army out of the West Bank of the Jordan River and, in heavy, street by street fighting, out of the Old City of Yerushalayim. The Chief Rabbi of Israel Defense Forces, Rav Shlomo Goren (later to become Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel) blew the Shofar at the “Kotel,” the Western Wall of the Temple and, for the first time in 1900 years, Yerushalayim was in Jewish hands.

“Omdot hayu ragleinu b’shearayich, Yerushalayim,
“We stood within your gates, O Jerusalem,”

“Yerushalayim Habenuyah k’ir shechubra la yachdav;”
The built-up city of Yerushalayim is like a city that is united;”

“Sha’alu Shelom Yerushalayim, yishlayu ohavav.”
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, those who love you will be serene.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 29th, 2003 and is filed under history.