The Western Wall Plaza is dressed in celebration: this evening (Sunday), a festive Maariv prayer will be held at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, marking the official opening of the Jerusalem Day events.
Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim) is a national holiday in Israel commemorating the reunification of the city and the return of Jewish access to the Old City and its sacred sites following the Six-Day War in 1967. Celebrated each year on the 28th of Iyar, it is observed with prayers, parades, and cultural events throughout the capital.
Participating in the moving ceremony will be Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. Both are expected to offer blessings to the attendees. In the background: thousands of worshippers, members of the security forces, families, and children arriving from across the country.
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A Celebration of Spirit and Sound
The event will include a musical performance featuring some of the leading voices in Jewish and Hasidic music. Yishai Lapidot, Chaim Israel, and an accompanying orchestra will uplift the crowd with beloved songs and spirited dancing. Yitzchak Meir will move the audience with stirring cantorial renditions.
Jerusalem Day Events: Monday, May 26
08:00 | Armon Hanatziv Promenade
Festive prayer with musical instruments marking 58 years since the city’s reunification.
09:00–15:00 | Safra Square
Tours of the visitor center – including the city model, municipal hotline center (106), scenic viewpoints, logic games, and an escape room area. (Advance registration required, symbolic entrance fee)
11:30–12:30 | Pisgat Ze’ev Cultural Center
“From a Jerusalem Lover” – a musical and storytelling morning with Shimon Parnas and Moti Seri.
16:00 | Bezalel Street → Western Wall
The traditional Flag Dance – a large parade featuring performances and a central gathering at the Western Wall with rabbis, ministers, and public figures.
19:30 | Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva
Thanksgiving rally – hosted by Yedidya Meir, accompanied by the Lehava Orchestra, with the participation of public figures.
20:00–22:00 | Lev Smadar Cinema
“Mountain Air” – a live performance inspired by “Jerusalem of Gold” and “Jerusalem of Iron.”
20:00–22:00 | YMCA
Concert by the Jerusalem Quartet – part of the international Wasser-Wolfensohn concert series.
