Yom Yerushalayim — Jerusalem Day

Yom Yerushalayim commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem and the restoration of Jewish sovereignty to the Old City, the Temple Mount, and the Kotel (Western Wall) on the third day of the Six-Day War — 28 Iyar 5727 (June 7, 1967) — after 19 years of Jordanian control that had barred Jewish access to the holiest sites of Judaism.

What Is Yom Yerushalayim?

Yom Yerushalayim is Israel's national holiday marking the reunification of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War. When paratroopers of the IDF reached the Kotel on 28 Iyar, commander Motta Gur radioed the historic words "Har HaBayit b'yadeinu" — "The Temple Mount is in our hands." Chief IDF Rabbi Shlomo Goren blew the shofar at the Kotel, marking the first Jewish sovereign presence at the Western Wall in nearly 2,000 years.

When Is Yom Yerushalayim?

Always the 28th of Iyar — the anniversary of the reunification. It falls in late May or June, three weeks after Yom HaAtzmaut and one week before Shavuot.

Who Established Yom Yerushalayim?

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel established Yom Yerushalayim as a religious holiday of thanksgiving in 1968, one year after the miraculous events. In 1998, the Knesset passed the Jerusalem Day Law making it a permanent national holiday.

Where Is It Celebrated?

The center of the celebration is Jerusalem itself — the Kotel Plaza, the Old City, and the streets of downtown Jerusalem. The Rikud Degalim (Flag Dance/March) sees tens of thousands, especially Religious Zionist youth, march with Israeli flags from central Jerusalem through the Old City to the Kotel. In the Diaspora, communities hold services with Hallel, festive meals, and educational programs about Jerusalem.

Why Do We Celebrate?

For 3,000 years Jerusalem has been the spiritual heart of the Jewish people. After the Roman destruction in 70 CE and 19 centuries of exile, most of Jerusalem remained inaccessible to Jews. Between 1948 and 1967, Jordan controlled the Old City and destroyed 58 synagogues in the Jewish Quarter; Jews were barred from the Kotel entirely. The reunification of 1967 is understood by many religious Jews as a moment of profound divine providence — a fulfillment of millennia of prayers "next year in Jerusalem."

How Is It Observed?

Hallel

The full Hallel (Psalms 113–118) is recited in most Religious Zionist and modern Orthodox synagogues, usually with a blessing. Practice varies among Chareidi communities.

Special Prayers

Al HaNissim ("For the Miracles") is inserted into the Amidah and Birkat HaMazon in many communities. The Torah reading of the day is Numbers 13–15 or a special reading about Jerusalem.

Rikud Degalim (Flag Dance)

The centerpiece public celebration — a march with Israeli flags through Jerusalem, culminating at the Kotel with singing, dancing, and prayer.

Chief Rabbinate Ceremony

An official state ceremony at Ammunition Hill and the Kotel honors the paratroopers and soldiers who fell liberating Jerusalem.

Study of Yerushalayim

Many communities dedicate the day to learning texts about Jerusalem — the Prophets, Psalm 122, and the Talmudic tractates on the Temple.