Two months before my 15th birthday I arrived in Israel. It was the first time I had ever visited. I grew up with magical descriptions of a land flowing with milk and honey and arrived nine years after the fabled Six-Day war triumph. Visions of a powerful and vibrant Israel danced throughout my mind. Having been blessed and very fortunate to travel to Israel nine more times and live there during rabbinical studies for two years, some neighborhoods of Jerusalem are as familiar to me as areas of Mobile.
In my mind’s eye I can navigate one of the most beautiful, meaningful and historic cities on the planet's surface; a city which has seen far too much conflict and war. Jerusalem’s heartbeat captures the fancy of Jews, Christians, Muslims and many of no declared religious affiliation.
Three days ago was Yom Yerushalayim, a day that many Americans have never experienced. It is the Hebrew anniversary of the reunification of the city of Jerusalem. On June 7, 1967 Israeli paratroopers entered the Old City through the Lion’s Gate and restored Jewish sovereignty to an area smaller than 1/20 square mile (yes-1/20 of one square mile!) which had not been exercised for 1,897 years. For the first time since the destruction by Rome in 70 C.E. Jewish people could freely and independently walk the mazes of alleys which honeycomb the Old City.
48 years have passed since the city of Jerusalem became a unified city. 48 years have passed since freedom of access for people of all religions has been made possible by Jewish control of what once was King David's capital 3,000 years ago.
Too many people forget that prior to 1967, Jordan controlled old Jerusalem. From 1948 to 1967 the Jordanian Legion fired upon Jews on the Israeli side of an armistice line. Bullet holes still remain in some structures which now overlook a modern light rail running through the bustling commercial downtown district wherein tourists and Jerusalemites pass both Jewish- owned and Arab-owned stores, markets and businesses.
When the Jordanian Legion conquered the Jewish Quarter the Jewish residents were evicted and the Jewish Quarter was reduced to rubble. A book by Chaim Zelnicker, a distant cousin of Ed Zelnicker , z”l, and John Zelnicker, includes the following terrifying quote;
“Holy Jerusalem has been cleansed of Jews and for the first time in over one thousand years, not a single Jew remains in it. The Jewish Quarter has been destroyed. Nothing remains there that has not been hit and has not suffered serious damage, which makes the return of the Jews to this place impossible.”
(Abdullah El-Tel commander of Jordanian Legion’s forces, May 21, 1948. One Last Day).
Daily we offer prayers of peace for the entire world and specifically for Jerusalem. Once again, the city of gold bears a special glow and uplifts the heart and spirit of those who walk through the alleyways first destroyed by Roman legionnaires 2,000 years ago but now rebuilt. Her history is alive. Her people have come home!
It is no accident that Shavuos, the anniversary of our standing at Mt. Sinai occurs shortly after the reunification of Jerusalem. Shavuot can be likened to a wedding ceremony between the Jewish People and God. What could be more appropriate for a wedding than receiving a jewel as a gift? The greatest jewel of all is Jerusalem.
Happy Shavuos to us all!
**Please remember that we will have a special celebration on Saturday, May 23 beginning at 8:00 p.m. in honor of Shavuos. Make your own Havdalah candle. Enjoy ice cream and assorted fruits while we study an enchanting Biblical book of friendship (Scroll of Ruth- in English).
Blintzes to follow! Nosh and shmooze on Yontif after Bible study!!
Shavuot is one of the three major yomtovim (holidays). We say Good Yontif on Shavuos just as we do on Pesach and Sukkot.
Please join us also on:
**Sunday, May 24- 10:00-11:00 a.m. a brief service.
**Monday, May 25 Yizkor Noon-1:00 p.m.(office closed)
Shalom!
Rabbi Steve Silberman
This picture testifies to the first Jewish soldiers to restore the Kotel (Western Wall) to Jewish hands in 1,897 years!
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