Jerusalem, capital of the Jewish people, was reunited during the Six-Day War.
Jerusalem is the pulsating, vibrant heart of the entire nation, and the capital of Israel. Building of Jerusalem is the resurrection of the country. Unfortunately, the city's desolation is indicative more than anything else of exile and destruction.
The urban renewal that took place within the Jewish Quarter after the Six-Day War symbolized our return to the walled city of Jerusalem, and the sounds of the builders and plasterers heralded the approaching voice of redemption.
But the work is not yet complete. The Hurva synagogue, destroyed by the Arab Legion to symbolize its victory, stands as a gaping wound in the rejuvenated Quarter. The ruined synagogue symbolized for half a generation Jordanian captivity and exile.
The unification of Jerusalem is not merely a declaration; it is a fact of daily life in the Jewish Quarter. The sounds of children playing in the streets, the cadence of joyous laughter reverberating off the walls fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah: " Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof." (Zechariah 8:4-5)
The Hurva's famous arch and the Western Wall symbolize the destruction. The time is right, and we are now able to complete the task of rebuilding the minor Temple closest to the Temple Mount. The sights, sounds and smells of the hammering of mallets, the dust carried through the air, builders climbing aloft to the famous dome of the Hurva synagogue will cause a trembling in the heart of every Jew in the world, from New York to Moscow, from Alaska to Australia.
We have returned to Jerusalem. We have returned and we have rebuilt the symbol of destruction.
The Jewish Quarter Development Company, who for the past generation has been responsible for the rehabilitation of the Jewish Quarter, has taken this project upon itself. A public committee formed in 2002 by the Minister of Housing, Rabbi Yitzhak Levi and headed by Rabbi Simha Kook, decided to restore the Hurva to its previous glory. Mr. Dov Kalmanovitch, chairman of JQDC's board and Mr. Yinon Ahiman, the company's CEO, the Minister of Housing Mr. Nathan Sheransky and his successors Ministers Effy Etham, Tzipi Livni, Ze'ev Boim, Yitzhak Herzog and Meir Shitrith all harnessed themselves to the successful completion of the project. Past and present mayors of Jerusalem, Mr. Ehud Olmert and Mr. Uri Lopliansky and substitute mayor Rabbi Jehoshua Pollack are all enthusiastic supporters of the project. After completing a thorough survey, the Israel Antiquities Authority recommends the reconstruction of the synagogue based on historical, cultural, urban and architectural reasons.
"For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places" (Isaiah 51:3)
|
