King David established Jerusalem as the capital of his kingdom.

His son Solomon

built the First Temple. This temple was destroyed and rebuilt after the return from
exile in Babylon in around 516 BCE. The Romans destroyed the Jewish kingdom and
the Temple leading to a 2000 year exile from the land and the city. Throughout the
centuries, Jews prayed daily for a return to their historic homeland. Below is a model
of the Second Temple.

In 70 BCE the Roman put down the Jewish revolt. The surviving Jews were
taken into captivity, Jerusalem was burnt to the ground and the Temple was
looted. Below is Titus Arch in Rome showing the spoils of Jerusalem.

The remains of the Burnt House in Jerusalem

After a five week siege, the Arabs on May 28th 1948, overran the Jewish
quarter, expelling the survivors from their homes. The following day the
Arab forces destroyed the Jewish quarter, blowing up 58 ancient synagogues
and looting Jewish homes. Jews were barred from entering the Old City and
even from the Kotel until 7th June 1967 when Israel captured the Old City
during the Six Day War. The message from the paratroop regiment read The
Wall is in our hands.

Photographs by John Phillips

documenting the expulsion of the Jews
from the Old City on May 28th 1948.

Paratroopers after the capture of the Old City on 7 th June 1967.

Colonel Motta Gur announces on the army wireless:
The Temple Mount is in our hands! I repeat, the Temple Mount is in our hands! All forces,
stop firing! This is the David Operations Room. All forces, stop firing! I repeat, all forces,
stop firing! Over. Commander eight-nine here, is this Motta (Gur) talking? Over.

Defence Minister (in the middle) Moshe Dayan on the day Jerusalem was
reunited.

Moshe Dayan (circled)

was the second child
born on Kibbutz
Degania.

Chief Military Rabbi Shlomo Goren at the Western Wall in 1967

The Old City has always been divided into four quarters. After 1967 the Jewish
Quarter and the ancient synagogues were rebuilt and today there are still the four
quarters.

The Armenian
Quarter

The Christian
Quarter

The Muslim Quarter

The Jewish Quarter

The ancient Hurva Synagogue was blown up on 29th May 1948 by the
Arab forces. It was rebuilt and re-dedicated as a synagogue on 15
March 2010.

The Yochanan Ben Zakki synagogue before and after its restoration

Celebrating Yom Yerushalayim