Lead Tidbit
The City and the Symbol
Whereas Yom HaAtzmaut is a national holiday in Israel, unfortunately, Yom Yerushalayim is not. Unfortunately, because Yom Yerushalayim is not just for Jerusalem; it is for the miraculous victories of the Six Day War and that makes it not only a national holiday, but a Jewish holiday for Jews all over the world. Reunification of Jerusalem was one of the many results of the '67 war. And even the city's reunification is important for more than just its residents. The dismantling of the Mandelbaum Gate and the walls and barbed wire that tore through the heart of this city did not just allow us to put the pieces of Jerusalem back together, but other places in Eretz Yisrael, as well. And what is so for geography is more so for the Jewish People. The restoration of parts of Eretz Yisrael into the hands of Jews did wonders towards healing the wounds and scars of a very long exile.

Are we there yet? Of course not. We in Jerusalem say L'SHANA HABA'A BIRU- SHALAYIM HAB'NUYA as fervently (if not more so) as Jews anywhere in the world. At the same time as we some- times feel "You've come a long way", we are also well-aware of how far we still have to go.

Rebuilding Jerusalem means rebuilding Israel. Rebuilding Israel means rebuilding the Jewish People. Rebuilding means restoring Torah and its way of life to the people and to the country and to the cities and towns. Our part in the process of rebuilding Jerusalem includes improving ourselves as people and as Jews, encouraging and helping that same improvement process for our fellows in a pleasant way that will show others that a Torah way of life is something desirable and beneficial to each and every Jew in the world.

These are some of the ideas that are reflected in our observance of Yom Yerushalayim and our appreciation to G-d for the miracles of '67. May He and we build upon them AD BI'AT HAGO'EL.