A Lesson From Jerusalem Day

Jerusalem Day saw thousands of Jewish youths dancing through the streets of Jerusalem and even bringing the joy of the Six Day War liberation of Jerusalem to towns throughout Israel. But Jerusalem has never been more threatened than today. Even when the Romans besieged the city, it was clear that the Jews would fight for it to the death and that even if they would lose, they would return to rebuild it. Even when Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakai asked for no more than Yavneh and its wise men, it was clear that the Jews had not unilaterally given up on Jerusalem. Even during the War of Independence, when Jerusalem fell and was possibly even abandoned by the official leadership, it was a no choice situation.

The person who did the most damage to date to Jerusalem was Moshe Dayan, the famous Six Day War Defense Minister. When - just a few hours after the historic declaration "The Temple Mount is in our hands," he ordered Israel's forces to lower the Israeli flag from the Temple Mount, very few people understood the far-reaching implications of his brazen act.

But today, a far more serious threat hovers over Jerusalem. Never before in history has official Israel willingly offered to surrender Jerusalem. This is a disaster unparalleled in Jewish history.

The wonderful, ideological youths dancing in the streets of Jerusalem need to take note. It is not enough to celebrate our love for Jerusalem. We must lead the nation so that in the coming years we will have something left to celebrate.