Jerusalem of Gold!!

The City of Yerushalayim is the most Magnificent on Earth & I think this picture shows that magnificence. When I first saw it I began to spontaneously sing "Yerushalayim of Gold".

"Yerushalayim all of gold, Yerushalayim, bronze and light, Within my heart I shall treasure Your song and sight."

This  fills my heart today .... Yom Yerushalayim.  44 years ago today Jerusalem was liberated ~ see yesterday's Blog!!!

It all began when Naomi Shemer was invited, to gather with four other colleagues, to compose a song for the 1967 Israel Song Festival.

Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek had asked that the songs be performed on Independence Day of 1967 (May 15th) be related to Jerusalem. Gil Aldema, producer of the festival, had searched the archives of Kol Yisrael and found no more than half a dozen recordings of songs concerning Jerusalem written by Israeli poets and composers since the turn of the century. None of the songs composed after the establishment of the State mentioned that the city was divided and that Jews could not approach the Kotel (Western Wall). Jerusalem devoid of Jews was mournful and in ruins, and the land of Israel without Jews was in desolation.

The term "Jerusalem of Gold"  had also been used in the writings of several poets shortly before Shemer composed her song,  which  in fact has its basis as a Talmudic story related to Jerusalem of Gold!

Chief of Staff Yitzhak Rabin who was present at the festival received word that Nasser had declared the closing of the Tiran Straits, and hastened to leave the building. The military situation with Egypt had caused considerable tension in the public. "When I sang the song, it somehow broke the tension and the audience sang the refrain with me", reminisced Natan. Several days later the army began mobilzing its reserves, and the song served to encourage the soldiers. 

The Six Day War broke out on Monday, June 5, 1967. The Old City of Jerusalem was Liberated by the Israeli Defence Forces on June 7th. When the war broke out and Jerusalem was freed "Jerusalem of Gold" immediately became an anthem of sorts.   During the liberation of the City, the soldiers burst out singing "Jerusalem of Gold" at the Western Wall. Television producer Yossi Ronen, who at the time reported from the scene, noted that "the excitement reached its peak."    Rabbi Shlomo Goren, chief rabbi of the IDF, blew the shofar, and recited prayers.   The paratroopers burst out in song, and I forgot my role as 'objective reporter' and joined with them in singing   'Jerusalem of Gold'".

Lyrics & Music ~  Naomi Shemer

As clear as wine, the wind is flying

Among the dreamy pines

As evening light is slowly dying

And a lonely bell still chimes,

So many songs, so many stories

The stony hills recall ...

Around her heart my city carries

A lonely ancient wall.

Yerushalayim all of gold

Yerushalayim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.

Alas, the dry wells and fountains,

Forgotten market-day

The sound of horn from Temple's mountain

No longer calls to pray,

The rocky caves at night are haunted

By sounds of long ago

When we were going to the Jordan

By way of Jericho.

Yerushalayim all of gold

Yerushalayim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.

But when I come to count your praises

And sing Hallel to you

With pretty rhymes I dare not crown you

As other poets do,

Upon my lips is always burning

Your name, so dear, so old

If I forget Yerushalayim

Of bronze and light and gold ...

Yerushalayim all of gold

Yerushalayim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.

Back to the wells and to the fountains

Within the ancient walls

The sound of horn from Temple's mountain

Again so loudly calls

From rocky caves, this very morning

A thousand suns will glow

And we shall go down to the Jordan

By way of Jericho.

Yerushalayim all of gold

Yerushalayim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.