Jerusalem Day

Last week was "Jerusalem Day" marking 40 years since the city was reunited. Whoever declared the day slept through his history class or Math in school, since to my reconning if the city was reunited in the Six Day War (1967) that works out to 41 years.

Children made the pilgrimage to the capital, from schools and youth movements from every corner of the nation.

Our 9th grade represented our school. We got off the bus at Jaffa Gate at the old city and quickly got organized by the walls, which in bygone days defended the inhabitants and today protect vistors from the sun.

We walked on the ramparts around to the Jewish Quarter.

On the wall that once divided the Jordanian east from the Israeli west you can see the contrast between the arid landscape to the east and the Mediteranean climate to the west that I blogged about last week.

Jerusalem adorned herself on her day with children like a matron decked in jewels. Hundreds, thousands explored the city and then converged on Independence Park downtown.

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Nothing excites children like other children. They screamed and broke away when they spotted kids from other groups they knew; hugs and kisses were exchanged, and then they had to be forced back lest they get left behind.

We regrouped and in the cool of the afternoon we set off by groups in a parade down boulevards closed for the occasion; a white river of flags and youth flowing through town and pouring into Teddy Stadium.

Our hosts, the children of Jerusalem, put on a show for us.

Every dance group and community center in the city must have been preparing for weeks. Acrobatics, songs and dancers complete with colorful floats and costumes treated the children.

I've learned from experience to look at the kids at events like these. They are the real entertainment. Pictures or even film can't capture the energy in a stadium packed with ecstatic youth.
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For some of our kids, this was the first time they had been in Jerusalem. I'm sure that they will never forget their first taste of the capital of our nation and center of our heritage.

Jerusalem Day is education at its finest.