Today is Yom Yerushalayim - Put on Your Mask and Let's Visit Jerusalem

Today is Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), the most recent addition to the Hebrew calendar. It is celebrated on the 28th day of Iyar (six weeks after the Passover seder, one week before the eve of Shavuot).

Although Jerusalem has been considered the capital city of the Jewish people since the time of King David — who conquered it and built it as the seat of his monarchy in approximately 1000 B.C.E.–there has never been a special day in honor of the city until the Israel Defense Forces took over the ancient, eastern part of the city on the third day of the Six-Day War in June 1967.

Shortly after the Six-Day War, “a municipal unification” of the two sections of the city took place, ending 19 years of separation between predominantly Arab and Jewish suburbs of Jerusalem, following the War of Independence in 1948.

Today we visit the city as it is today, led by a trio of masked tour guides. Our walking tour will take us to the Knesset, past a temperature checkpoint to the Mahane Yehuda market (shuk), Zion Square, Yafo Street, the Montefiore Windmill in Mishkenot Sha'ananim, and the Kotel HaMaaravi (Western Wall), where today social distancing is in effect.

The tour ends with video from the capture of the Old City in 1967 and scenes of joyful dancing in the streets when social closeness was the norm.

Enjoy Jerusalem's special day and Shabbat shalom!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.