Friday, June 3, 2016

Yom Yerushalyim ... 49 years of Israeli Sovereignty on Sunday

Image result for jerusalem
As we mark with joy and thanksgiving the 49th birthday of united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty this Sunday, let us put aside our concerns for Jerusalem’s future for a moment and simply celebrate.
It was during these very days in 1967 that the IDF, with great heroism and Divine providence, liberated the Jewish people’s holy capital – and brought about its official unification under Jewish sovereignty for the first time in nearly 19 centuries.

Like Israel’s Independence Day, Jerusalem Day provides a choice opportunity to reflect on arguably one of history’s most amazing pairs of complementary phenomena: On the one hand, the consolidation of the Jewish people, dispersed around the globe for nearly 2,000 years while they underwent persecution, longing, and anticipation that their prophets’ predictions of their return would be fulfilled – and on the other hand, the unwavering “loyalty” shown this exiled nation by its homeland, which refused to accept the mastery of any other people throughout its centuries of desolation.
And finally, in our lifetimes, these two extraordinary marvels converged – and the Jewish people were again an independent nation in their own homeland. “How fortunate is the eye that these they beheld!”
Visitors to Yerushalayim on Jerusalem Reunification Day – the 28th of Iyar, the third day of the Six-Day War (the 5th of June this year) – will be treated to a display of the deep-seated joy felt by the residents, and especially by the 100,000 young people from all around the country who descend on the capital to celebrate. The now-traditional Rikudgalim will be the centerpiece of the event: two separate musical parades for males and females waving Israeli flags and dancing and singing through the streets.
The city will abound on this day with other holiday events, including a midnight march from Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav Kook to the Western Wall; the “Naaleh L’Yerushalayim” event for youth from around the country; singing and dancing at Yeshivat Beit Orot on Mt. Scopus; memorial events for fallen soldiers and Ethiopian Jewry; and events in Katamon, Kiryat Menachem, Ramot, downtown, and elsewhere.
The day will also be one of recognition and appreciation: The Moskowitz Prize for Zionism will be awarded to individuals “who put Zionism into action” in the City of David, and the “Yakir Yerushalayim” Award Ceremony, in which twelve Jerusalem residents will be bestowed with the decoration for having “influenced and contributed to the lives of all residents of the city.”
The central official event will be held at Ammunition Hill, between Ramat Eshkol and Police Headquarters, with the participation of President Rivlin, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Mayor Barkat, and others. It was there that a miraculous and decisive battle was heroically fought and won 49 years ago; though IDF troops had neither aerial nor artillery support, and despite the killing and wounding of many of the officers, they succeeded in capturing the well-protected and very strategic Jordanian fortress outpost.
To mark the anniversary, Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Ze’ev Elkin and Finance Minister Moshe Kachlon have agreed on a five-year development for the city – an 850-million shekel budget that represents nearly a 250 percent increase over the just-ended five-year plan. The money will be earmarked for economic and hi-tech development; upgrading the city as a worldwide tourist capital; academia and culture; aid for small and medium businesses; and more.
On the other hand: Our concern for Jerusalem’s future has not waned, and reasons for our perpetual vigilance continue to present themselves. Here is just a short sampling of worrisome headlines from the past week:
City councilman Aryeh King said that the ongoing and massive illegal construction by Arabs in Jerusalem is “undoubtedly the most significant platform for the de-facto creation of a divided Jerusalem.” Although illegal construction of any type must be negated, he said, “it cannot be that when a Jew builds an extra room, inspectors immediately arrive on the scene and put a stop to it, while Arabs build structures of 8, 12 and 14 stories, and barely anything is ever done to stop it. It gives the message that there is no justice and no judge, and that they can do whatever they like, not only in building illegally but also in terms of drugs, robberies, stealing water and electricity… This is what happens when we cede our sovereignty …”
Dozens of activists protested Sunday against the relocation of government offices and the public broadcasting authority outside the capital. The protestors said we are facing a “disengagement from Jerusalem” and chanted “A capital without government – a disgrace to the state…”
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas declared yet again that he sees eastern Jerusalem as the capital of the “future state of Palestine.” He insisted that he is not even willing to consider Jerusalem as a joint capital of two states, or to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
But worst of all is the new life that the Ramon Plan keeps receiving – the one promulgated by former Kadima Party and Histadrut leader Chaim Ramon, calling for a unilateral withdrawal from parts ofYerushalayim. The most recent expression of support came from, of all people, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who explained this week why we should simply transfer several Arab-populated areas from the Jerusalem municipality to Palestinian Authority control.
This, despite the tremendous international pressures that would result to “keep on going” and divide the city totally, as well as the expected security and other dangers to which it would lead.
In 2005, then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the following at the Jerusalem Day commemoration at Ammunition Hill:
“For us, there is only one Jerusalem, and no other. It will be ours forever, and will never again be in the hands of foreigners…. We will fearlessly face the entire world and will ensure the future of united Jerusalem. For Jerusalem is the anchor, root of life, and faith of the Jewish people and we will never again part with it.
“Whoever wishes to know this should open the Bible, read and understand. Historic Jerusalem, the heart of the Jewish people for over 3,000 years, will always be one, united, the capital of the state of Israel forever and ever.”
Many similarly beautiful and dramatic words have been expressed about Jerusalem and its eternal unity – yet we are well aware that words alone are far from sufficient. Given the current climate, how vigilant and proactive must we be to safeguard Jerusalem’s future.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...


Unfortunately because Israel is being led by criminally insane self hating traitorous leftist pathetic cowards,Israel does NOT have sovereignty over all of Jerusalem,if a jew driving his car in his own capital makes one wrong turn into the eastern part of the city he has a very good chance of not coming out alive,even the police are afraid to enter certain part of Arab neighborhoods,is this called sovereignty?,as a matter of fact the Arab residents in Jerusalem have more sovereignty than the Jews because they have absolutely no problem or fear in driving or walking in any part of the city as opposed to the Jewish residents.
Rabbi Meir Kahane used to say "you can take the Jew out of GALUS but you can't take the GALUS out of the Jew











Unknown said...

Yom Yerushalayim ... we are going to our 50th year of celebration ...
Hashem has responded ...
The Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael responded by making it the largest gathering of Jews worldwide ...
The Land of Israel has responded by giving off its finest produce ...
How do Jews in Diaspora respond ... ?
Jews will greet each other Gut Woch ...
How many Jews will wish Chag Sameach to each other ...?
How many Jews will mention Yom Yerushalayim & thank Hashem as Hakoras Tov ...?

Anonymous said...

Sam, unfortunately not too many. Looks like you also heard Nahum Segal ask these questions this morning.T0 12;01, don't just blame the leftists, blame many of the religious also for not showing passion for Jerusalem, see Sam's comment.

Unknown said...

Dear Anonymous ... The answer is mass Aliyah of Jews like you from the comfort of the American Diaspora & simply vote the government out of office & install genuine Torah theocracy you envision ...

Anonymous said...

Idiots, celebration? I guess you guys are so twisted in your minds that it's a celebration when so many innocent people are getting killed almost daily and actually the entire country is living with fear not knowing what and where the next tragedy will hit, you guys are celebrating for CAYEH SHO because it's definitely a losing battle you're happiness is not going to last too much longer

Dusiznies said...

1:47
with your zedreita farkockteh logic ... we should all have stayed in Mitzrayim ... why are we celebrating Pesach when 6 million innocent Jews were murdered?
The "entire country is living with fear " it happens to be and you can google it ..... Israel is on the top 3 countries where the citizens are the happiest? Wait till the goyim surrounding Monroe, Williamsburg come out of the woodwork ..very soon
Monsey is sitting on a powder keg which can blow at any time ...
Flatbush and Boro Park are surrounded by Arabs...and the Arab population over there is almost the same as in Israel..
hold on to your gartel ...you will be running to Israel very soon

Unknown said...

Statistically travelling the NYC Subway System is far more dangerous
than any Public Transport in Israel. Also statistics show that the
chances of getting shot in New York City are far greater than on the
streets of Israel.
We pray every day to reach Eretz Yisrael "Kommemiut" erect & not in coffins.
Jews will have to liquidate the exile before it liquidates them
quoting the legendary Zev Jabotinsky.
Let Jews make Aliyah willingly & not reluctantly.

Chag Sameach Yerushalayim the eternal capital of The Jewish People.

Unknown said...

חיי שעה היה ליהודים שסירבו לעלות לארץ בקנאות מזוייפת. ונשרפו באוישוויץ
אידיאט

Anonymous said...

1;47, if it's definitely a losing battle, how come aliyah is hitting record numbers, even from the US? Besides, you plagiarized your comment from the Spies. At least quote things BESHEM OMRO.

Anonymous said...

Tzudreit are those who celebrate this geula shel sheker, Jews were freed from mitzryim by Hashem and the leader was Moshe Rabeinu, the corrupted atheistic NAZI-ZIONIST state was created by a bunch of murderers, atheists who don't believe in the existence of Hashem, a regime which cultivates each and every animalistic shmutz for one simple reason TO SHOW AND PROVE THERE'S NO HASHEM NO TORAH, You idiots are celebrating today's gay pride parade in TA
Israelis are happy? Go into any mental institution they're all happy... I don't have to Google nothing it's a fact that little country is surrounded by hundreds of millions who's sole hope and desire is to wipe out cv each and every person AND THAT'S ALL THANKS TO ZIONISM AND THE ZIONIST IDEOLOGY! BECAUSE THE FACT IS BEFORE ZIONISM EY WAS THE MOST SAFE AND FREEDOM PLACE FOR JEWS TO LIVE, ALL PROBLEMS STARTED AFTER THIS MAD DOG TH YM"S FOUNDED ZIONISM

Dusiznies said...

4:02
First of all ...the gay parades in TA ... don't bother me and certainly shouldn't bother you, since the farshtinineh Satmar Rebbes and de farkockteh litvishe Roshe Yeshivas all back gay candidates ... in fact the Holy Skverer Rebbe just endorsed Hillary that now advocates for gays and transgenders and other finstere zachin ....
To say that "BECAUSE THE FACT IS BEFORE ZIONISM EY WAS THE MOST SAFE AND FREEDOM PLACE FOR JEWS TO LIVE" is a blatant revision of history...why don't you tell that to the murdered boys who were mutilated by your Arab friends in Chevron in 1929 ...you can also tell that to Reb Abachutera who was shot out by a cannon on shabbos way before The State was established... also tell that to the first settlers that came in the late 1800 and were sent there by the talmidim of Reb Akiva Eiger that were murdered by your Arab friends ...
and stop commenting ,,,,because I will now delete you ...because this blog is for Jews and not for Arabs and their lovers!

Anonymous said...

4;02, you're a mad carnival barker. Our matara is not to be safe, because we were never safe going all the way back to Avrohom Aveinu. Our goal is to keep the Torah which included Eretz Yisroel at any time and recognize G-D's open miracles there. As long as you're a Jew you aren't safe anywhere, anytime.We are in golus because of language like yours which caused a bchiya ledorot. Long live the memory Theodore Herzl, a fabulous great visionary.

Salted Pretzel said...

Rav Shteinman was the first one asked about gay politicians. Not only he assered it but he assered voting for any straight politician who supports gay "rights". That's why many Litvishe & a few chassidishe rabbonim signed in the last NYC Mayoral election to vote for Erik Salgado who was the only candidate who fit the criteria. In elections where every candidate is pro-gay we don't vote.