14th May 2026
27th Iyar, 5786
Jerusalem Day
Of course, I wish you Shabbat Shalom but most of all I wish
Jerusalem to hold celebrations of Jerusalem Day filled with joy, fellowship,
good will and safety
Today is the eve of Jerusalem Day, celebrating the day Jerusalem
became one again; Old City and New, heart and soul. The day in 1967, on the
fourth day of the war Motta Gur uttered the words “Har HaBayit b’yadeinu”
“The Temple Mount is in our hands” and the sight of Yitzchak Rabin, the Chief
of Staff, driving his jeep through the
Lions Gate, sent tears, disbelief, and overwhelming joy not only through
Israel, but throughout the Jewish world. Jerusalem Day was never only an
Israeli moment; it was emotional for Jews everywhere who suddenly felt history,
longing, and return collide in a single sentence. A tiny country, fighting
simply to survive against those who wished to destroy it, suddenly reunited
with the heart of its history. 6 incredible days when Israel survived a
simultaneous attack from all her neighbours near and far.
I woke this morning to that unmistakable scent of an early Israeli
summer; pine trees warming in the sun, citrus blossom drifting on the air, and
the dry sweetness of the hills around Jerusalem. We live beside the old Seven
Sisters road, with its seven winding bends climbing towards the city, the very
road that first carried me to Jerusalem as a wide-eyed seventeen-year-old on my
first visit to Israel, its hairpin bends striking fear in our hearts as the ancient
bus struggled its way up and up, the Aliya to Jerusalem, the driver
manipulating the heavy wheel around each bend. This week, Gerald Fraser, an old
friend from Cardiff and his wife Rhea, came to see us, Surprisingly Gerald
forgot that we had been on that bus, in that group, in 1963, together and when
I reminded him we spent our time reminiscing on that magical summer when a
group of teenagers fell hopelessly in love with this country and quietly
decided that, one day, this would be home. More than half a century later,
through wars, terror, two Intifadas, sirens, heartbreak and joy, it still is.
Jerusalem, whether Jew, Christian, Muslim, agnostic or even atheist, just the
name is capable of warming the heart.
I may be a dreamer, even an optimist, and I recognise that things
have changed, emotions that ran deep in love may have turned to hatred, but
still if you go to the Old City markets, to the centre of the city, to Mamilla
and of course the that most Yerushalmi of places, Machane Yehuda market, the
Shouk, you still see everyone together enjoying life! Most evenings, after the
bastot (market stalls) have closed, leaving only the aromas of fresh fruit and vegetables,
knaffe, sweet halva and the echoes of the costermongers in the air, the metal
blinds come down, revealing wonderful graffiti depictions of famous Israelis –
and Einstein, and the chairs and tables come out, the musicians warm up, the
beer kegs are in place and young people
of all ages and creeds come to celebrate being alive. The years of fear of explosions
in that wonderful place are a memory, hopefully never to return.
This morning I walked to my Mind and Movement class and our
beautiful leader, teacher, guide, Gali, suggested we each talk about our
memories of childhood in Jerusalem, our thoughts of the present and our hopes
for the future. Of course I was not born in Jerusalem, one born in the USA, one
in Haifa, one in Algeria and myself in Wales, just Tami spoke of her childhood
in Rahavia and the little roads that haven’t changed, walking to school and
going to the little sweet shop, each of us spoke of our connection to that
city, from near and far, and our emotional attachment, be it through prayer or through
our parent’s dreams. I walked back together with Galia, who was born in Algeria
but came to Israel as a young woman together with her family. As we walked
through the village of Motza, in itself with historic ties to Jerusalem and Teordor
Herzl (yes I meant to write Teodor because that is how he called himself) we
spoke of what Jerusalem gave to us when we were children in far countries. We
spoke of our love of that city, that moving to Motza was not leaving Jerusalem
because we feel part of Jerusalem, simply a rural suburb.
Jerusalem has undoubtedly become more religious over the years,
though in truth that applies to all three monotheistic faiths that hold the
city so dear. To digress, (what would you do if I wrote without digressions)
there are no less than 52 Christian denominations, 8 Muslim denominations and
about 600,000 Jewish denominations!!! There is, however, an interesting
phenomenon among some people who leave Jerusalem for the freer, more energetic
rhythm of Tel Aviv life. Quite often, they seem to remember only the
frustrations and changes, focusing on the crowded entrance to the city, the
towering new buildings, or the tensions of modern Jerusalem, rather than its
extraordinary heart and soul.
And yet cities evolve; they always have. Jerusalem is no exception.
Alongside its ancient stones and timeless beauty are hi-tech companies,
start-ups, cafés, galleries, and the creative pulse of a modern capital. In
fact, many of Israel’s beloved coffee chains began there. It seems a pity to
see only one side of the city’s character, because no great city in the world
remains frozen in time. If we judged every beautiful city only by its traffic,
cranes, or changing skyline, we would probably never travel anywhere at all. The
city centre is filled with students during the day and many stay to enjoy the
cool Jerusalem evenings instead of the sticky humidity of anywhere closer to
the sea.
There is an old saying that nine-tenths of the world’s beauty was
given to Jerusalem, and on certain days it is tangible. One of the loveliest
buildings in the newer part of the city, after the YMCA, which can hardly still
be called new, is the Supreme Court. Whatever one’s politics, the architecture
is breathtaking. Funded, like the Knesset, through the generosity of the
Rothschild family, the Court carries with it a remarkable story. Dorothy de
Rothschild had one request: that the Supreme Court should stand on higher
ground than the Knesset, to symbolize the supremacy of the rule of law
and justice over the political legislative branch and that a pathway
should connect the two buildings, and that the Court should always remain
accessible to all. After her death, that vision became reality.
The building itself feels both modern and timeless. Vast arched
spaces filled entirely with natural Jerusalem light, Jerusalem stone flowing
seamlessly from outside to inside, and courtrooms designed to reflect different
parts of the Old City. Even the smallest details carry meaning. Above each
section are stones representing those in the Choshen Mishpat, the High
Priest’s breastplate of judgement, once used to seek wisdom and guidance for
the people of Israel. It is very Jerusalem somehow — history, symbolism,
beauty, and modern life all layered quietly together in one extraordinary
place.
I hope that I have done justice to the city that I love so much. Of
course it has changed as the demographics dictate, but despite the 120 members
of the Knesset it is still the spiritual heart of Christianity and Judaism and
has become, in recent years, equally important to Islam.
Since the class this morning was called Movement after our musings,
we then danced to several utterly Yerushalmi songs. The Banai family was born
in the Shouk, Mahane Yehuda; The renowned Israeli artistic dynasty originated
from Persian Jewish roots, settled in Jerusalem's Mahaneh Yehuda neighborhood; Rahamim
Banai (then Bana) arrived in the Land of Israel from Shiraz, Persia, in the
early 1880s. They have produced generations of celebrated musicians, actors,
and entertainers, unquestionably the "first family" of Israeli
entertainment.
Interestingly enough the late Meir Banai’s most famous song is
called Shaar HaRahamim, the Mercy Gate. Although this video, for some reason,
shows the Kotel, in fact the Mercy Gate is opposite the Mount of Olives on the
other side of the Old City. The Messiah (we never argue if its his return or
his rising) will arrive through the Mercy Gate followed by all those buried on
the Mount. The Jewish cemetery is on the hillside, the Christian on the lower
slopes and, sorry I get a bit political here, The Mercy Gate (Golden Gate) was
sealed in 1541 by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent,
who also initiated the placement of a Muslim cemetery in front of it. While the
gate had been closed previously, this 16th-century action was part of
rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, with tradition stating it was done to prevent the
entry of the Jewish Messiah.
Here’s the beautiful song https://youtu.be/zexmsOcywnQ?si=OkvoWBeNcSAiymQq
"Shabchi Yerushalayim" is based on Psalm 147 here
sung by Avihu Medina. The lyrics praise God for protecting and strengthening
Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem, praise the LORD; praise your God, O Zion. For He
has strengthened the bars of your gates, and blessed your children in your
midst.” https://youtu.be/ByWfUx0QnyE?si=tMvsReGk1eaCRJC3
I had never heard Jerusalem of Gold, a very different Jerusalem of
Gold and I have no idea who sings but it is truly magnificent, telling the story
of the return to Jerusalem, to the Old City, to the Holy sites. I apologise for
the advert in the middle. https://youtu.be/zRVnjucnWtg?si=AJonxsbi20BqepIt
As I write about Jerusalem, about Jerusalem Day, the news came in
that a Hezb-Allah drone with an explosive warhead hit Rosh Hanikra, in the
north of Israel, one of the towns that has suffered horribly from Hezb-Allah
attacks for many years, and two people were seriously injured and one moderately
and rushed to the Galilee Hospital. I wish them a speedy recovery; indeed, I
wish the north of Israel a speedy recovery. After elections, assuming there
will be a new government, the rebuilding of the broken north and south of
Israel and return of those who were sent to safety and had no home to return
to, we cannot lose two thirds of our country to our enemies.
So another week has passed and I have tried to keep our attention on
Jerusalem, because she deserves this day of unity, unification, flag waving and
generosity of spirit. I hope and pray that the Jerusalem march will be one of
celebration and not one of triumph.
Undoubtedly, the most important day in our history was May 14,
1948, when Ben Gurion declared the State and named her Israel after the ancient
tribe that once lived here.
Actually May 12th was a momentous day too! Rachel
announced that she really needed to see me and was already on her way. I had a
class but told them I’d come late, worried that something was wrong. She walked
in with my fabulous granddaughter Talia who had finally returned from 6 months
in South America! Tears, hugs and a million emotions! The best surprise anyone
could possibly have! Thank you Sally, thank you for giving her a home away from
home and being her new BFF.
In fact, yesterday was wonderful too, starting with a quick visit
from our friends Ronit and Yossi Dagan and then meeting the incomparable,
amazing, Poodle (her real name is Alex but …..she’s Poodle because it reflects
her hairstyle when she was in school with Daniel) and Rachel in Derech haGefen
in Bet Zayit for a delicious lunch.
It may not seem directly concerning Jerusalem, but everything we,
Impact-se, do is intended to make our lives safer, wherever we may be, and to
stop the child abuse of hate education; a research institute that began in the
hallowed halls of the Hebrew University now influences beyond comparison. An
explanation for everyone who asks about our work, but especially for Sylvia
Liwerant and all her friends who asked to understand what and who Impact-se is …..
here goes. The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in
School Education (IMPACT-se) is a transformational research and policy
institute that delivers strategic outcomes for the Jewish world. Operating from
Ramat Gan, Dubai, London and Washington DC, IMPACT-se is helping to shape the
way millions of schoolchildren perceive Jews and Israel in their daily school
education. Our mission is clear: to counter radicalism, and hate education through
world-class, proprietary research and top-level policy engagement, IMPACT-se is
contributing to changing the textbooks of millions of students. Take a look. https://www.impact-se.org/
Sending you all love from Jerusalem, the city that still lives up
to her nine-tenths of beauty. So from our home in the Jerusalem Hills, Shabbat
Shalom and Happy Jerusalem Day.
Sheila
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