Shalom all and Blessings on this amazing historical day!

50 years ago, the nation of Israel returned to our most sacred city – Jerusalem.

Jews had been living in Jerusalem since the time of King David, about 3000 years ago.  During most of the Modern era, Jews were the majority in Jerusalem.

During the War of Independence in 1948, the Jews who lived within the city walls of Jerusalem were forced to surrender to the Jordanian legion and to evacuate their homes. The Jewish Quarter was destroyed by the Jordanians in an attempt to erase any memory of the Jews in Jerusalem.  This act gave us, the Israelis, a rare opportunity to uncover our past 19 years later, when the city was reunified.

Today when you walk the ancient streets of the city, you can see how the Jewish Quarter is different than the others.  The buildings are all newer and the planning of the Quarter is different.  This is due to the fact that the Jewish Quarter was completely rebuilt after 1967.

Moreover, during the time of the rebuilding, we found remains of houses which belonged to Jews who lived there (at this same place) 2000 years ago during the time of Jesus and our Temple.

In 1967, Israel reunited Jerusalem.  For the first time in 2000 years the Jewish flag was hanging high over our holiest places. We have returned to our sacred grounds.  We are now able to visit freely the place where our ancestors worshipped our one true God.  All of this was done merely 50 years ago.

50 years has passed and today we are hearing talks about the non-connection of the Jews to Jerusalem.  UNESCO claims that the Jews have no historical connection to Jerusalem.  If this was true, since Jesus was a Jew, He was never here.  He never healed the blind and the paralytic.  He was never crucified in Jerusalem and never resurrected from His Jerusalem tomb.

Today I had an interesting talk with Eyal Goldman, our Social Media Director at the Bible Center.  We spoke about the latest political suggestion regarding Jerusalem – would we cut it in half, should we not… Eyal said that this is the same as the trial of the babies by Solomon recounted in 1 Kings, chapter 3: 16.  The two women were fighting over the living baby.  “Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king.  He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

The true mother was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!” Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

This verse, especially today, makes one wonder… who has the true connection to the city, those who wish to cut her or those who wishes to keep her intact…?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! Psalms 137:5