Tens of thousands gathered Thursday at the Western Wall plaza to mark 59 years since Jerusalem’s reunification and liberation, in an atmosphere of prayer, song, dance and thanksgiving. The events, produced by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, included the central ‘Flag Dance’ rally, where massive crowds filled the plaza in a spirit of uplifting unity, alongside government ministers, Knesset members and public figures.
At the emotional peak of the ceremony, a massive Israeli flag was unfurled in the center of the Western Wall plaza in memory of Eyal Haimovsky Z”L, former CEO of the Jerusalem Development Authority. Hundreds of residents from Kiryat Shmona and communities along the confrontation line unfurled the flag, having traveled specially to Jerusalem as a gesture of embrace and appreciation for their steadfast resilience. During the events, the crowd offered prayers for the peace of the state, IDF soldiers and security forces, and for the recovery of the wounded.
The holiday opened with a special broadcast in which over a quarter million students from some 1,000 schools across the country participated, from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat. Participants in the main event included Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. The celebrations will continue Friday with a festive morning prayer service at the Western Wall plaza.