Yom Yerushalaiyim, 2017

On the 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyyar in the year 1967, Jerusalem fell in combat (in the six-day war) to the Jews of Israel. This year, 2017, the 28th day of Iyyar falls on May 24th. That's why the State of Israel has declared Wednesday, May 24, 2017 as Yom Yerushalaiyim, the 'Day of Jerusalem'. 

It's a day of national rejoicing. It's a moment to celebrate the fact that Jerusalem has once again become 'Jewish'. 

2017, however, is different. It's special. It's the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem's reunification.  

Perhaps you've noticed that Jerusalem has been in the news. It's become the epicenter of a war against the Jews.  

The Palestinian Authority wants this city. Already, it's gotten the UN to declare that Jerusalem's Temple Mount--the holiest site in Judaism in the world--is to be Islamic, not Jewish. It's gotten the the UN also to declare that the Jewish Israel has no sovereign rights to Jerusalem at all.

The PA has gotten the UN, in other words, to tighten an Islamic noose around the Jewish Jerusalem. It's close to choking off all Jewish connection to Jerusalem, at least on paper.

Most Jews forget that Jerusalem is a holy city. It's the closest place the world has to a true 'Heavenly City'.  

Jerusalem is so holy, nations throughout history have been powerfully attracted to it, to make it their own: according to one source, Jerusalem has been destroyed at least twice, besieged 23 times, attacked an additional 52 times and captured and recaptured 44 times (Mandy Katz, "Do we divide the holiest city?", momentmag, March/April, 2008). 

Why?

Our Jewish Tanach explains why. Jerusalem is the "city of G-d" (Tehillim, 87: 3). Nations throughout human history have recognized this. The PA recognizes it, too.

Jerusalem is the chosen city. It is the only city chosen specifically by G-d for His Dwelling place (see Divrei HaYamim, 6:5-10). 

Jerusalem is where the Jewish King Solomon built the 'Temple of HaShem' (Divrei HaYamim 2. 3:5)--the Temple of G-d. Today, its footprint still sits atop the Temple Mount.

Jerusalem became the holiest of cities some 3,000+ years ago. That original holiness was a Jewish holiness brought to Jerusalem through the Word of G-d (ibid). 

Now, the PA wants Jerusalem. Its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, stands up for Jerusalem. He declares he will defend it ("Abbas: Palestinians are carrying out Ribat [holy war] and defending Jerusalem and the holy sites", palwatch, June 14-17, 2016). 

Abbas makes his goal very clear: he wants Jerusalem. What do we want? 

Today is Yom Yerushalayim. Stand up for Jerusalem.