Jerusalem Day

JERUSALEM DAY - 28th of Iyyar

Jerusalem day is a new holiday in Israel. This day was declared after the liberation of the eastern part of the city (mainly the Old City and the Western Wall) from the Jordanians during the SixDay War, on 7th June 1967 (28th day of the month of Iyyar).

The official unification of the city was announced 20 days later when, on 27th June, the Knesset ((the Israeli parliament) proclaimed by law, the unification of the two parts of the city under Jewish rule.

The 28th of the month of Iyyar became an official holiday and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel order special prayers on this day. The holiday is celebrated all over Israel and in the diaspora with special open ceremonies in schools and educational institutions.

JERUSALEM - ISRAEL'S CAPITAL CITY

Since 1967, Jerusalem has developed enormously and it is Israel's largest city both in terms of area and population which in 1995 numbers 600,000 inhabitants. New roads have been created, public buildings erected, parks and gardens planted and extensive archaeological sites explored.

Jerusalem is the political centre of the State of Israel. The President's residence, the Knesset,the offices of the government ministries, and the Supreme Court and offices of the judiciary are located there, along with the Chief Rabbinate, the Bank of Israel, the National Library, the Israel Museum, and the Israel Festival, an annual celebration of theatre, music and dance.

In its appearance, population, and history,Jerusalem is known as one of the world's most diverse cities. As a religious centre for the three major Western religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - it attracts pilgrims and tourists in great numbers from all around the world, all year round.

With each passing year, Jerusalem is becoming a more modern, open, vibrant city.

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