COMMENTARY
Each year on Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, Israel celebrates one of the most extraordinary moments in our modern history: the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. It is a day filled with music, dancing, and prayer. But for me, it is also a day of deep reflection, because Jerusalem is not just a city. It is the beating heart of the Jewish people. It is the place where our prayers rise, where our history lives, and where our hope has never faded.
When I walk through Jerusalem’s streets, I feel the layers of our story beneath my feet. I hear the echoes of ancient prophets and modern soldiers. I see children running freely in a city that generations only dreamed of returning to. And I am reminded that Jerusalem is more than stone and earth—it is a promise kept.
Jerusalem has always been a city where we have mourned destruction and celebrated redemption. It is where we have cried out to God in our darkest moments and thanked Him in our brightest ones. And this year, as Israel continues to face threats from Iran and ongoing challenges across the region, Jerusalem feels even more precious.
Because Jerusalem teaches us something essential: that resilience is born from faith, and faith is born from remembering who we are.
And so, when Christians around the world celebrate Jerusalem with us—when they pray for her peace, when they stand against anti-Semitism, when they support the people who call her home—it is not just solidarity. It is shared identity, shared values, and shared destiny.
One of the things I love most about Yom Yerushalayim is that it reminds us that miracles did not only happen in biblical times – they are happening right now. The fact that Jerusalem is once again a thriving, united city is itself a miracle. The fact that people of all faiths and backgrounds walk her streets freely is a miracle. The fact that our children grow up knowing Jerusalem not as a dream, but as a home, is a miracle.
Even as we recognize this miracle, we know that it comes with great responsibility.
We must protect Jerusalem. We must pray for her peace. We must ensure that her light continues to shine in a world that desperately needs hope.
In these challenging times, when Israel faces threats from enemies who seek to destroy us, the support of our Christian friends has been an endless source of strength. Their prayers, their love, and their unwavering commitment remind us that we are not alone. Initiatives like Flags of Fellowship show the world that Christians and Jews stand together in courage and conviction.
On Yom Yerushalayim, I take my children to the Western Wall. I watch them place their hands on the ancient stones. I watch them whisper prayers in the same place where our ancestors prayed thousands of years ago. And I feel something rise within me—a quiet certainty that God is still guiding our steps.
Jerusalem reminds us that no matter how dark the world may feel, God’s promises endure. Jerusalem reminds us that hope is stronger than fear. Jerusalem reminds us that faith can rebuild what was once destroyed.
This year, as we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim, may we hold Jerusalem close to our hearts. May we pray for her peace. And may we continue to stand together—Jews and Christians, Israelis and Americans—believing with all our hearts that the God who restored Jerusalem will continue to protect her.
Yerushalayim shel zahav—Jerusalem of gold—may your light shine brighter than ever.
