One of the most exciting events in Jewish history is the reunification of the Holy City of Jerusalem, the eternal Jewish capital, in 1967.
By: United with Israel Staff
Jerusalem Day, or Yom Yerushalayim in Hebrew, which Israel is about to celebrate, falls on the 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, commemorating the reunification of the eternal capital of Israel in June 1967, during the Six Day War.
In celebration, each year tens of thousands of people participate in the annual Jerusalem Day parade, known as Rikud Degalim – The Flag Dance. It begins in the afternoon and ends at the Western Wall plaza.
When the State of Israel was declared, it was proposed that Jerusalem would be an international city for 10 years, after which a vote among the residents would determine if the city is Israeli or Jordanian. Instead, the Jordanians captured the Old City and the eastern side of Jerusalem, creating a divided city.
Jews were prevented from visiting their holiest site – the Temple Mount – and the Kotel, or Western Wall.
In 1967, Jordan joined the surrounding Arab countries that attacked Israel, calling for the annihilation of the Jewish state. In only six days, the IDF miraculously gained control over, among other areas, a newly united Jerusalem.
One of the laws passed following the Six Day War calls for free access by the members of every religion to the many holy places of the city.
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