The sixth anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification was marked by celebrations and ceremonies yesterday and Tuesday, highlighted by a special thanksgiving prayer at the Western Wall. Parents and children of soldiers who fell during the battle over Jerusalem in June 1967 lit 18 torches commemorating the 181 soldiers who died in the battle. A chorus in the background sang the song that became Jerusalem’s unofficial anthem, “Jerusalem of Gold.” Thousands of people began gathering near the Western Wall in the early morning hours, most of them praying and some visiting the historical sites in the Old City.
President Ephraim Katzir, Cabinet ministers and army officers who participated in the 1967 battle over Jerusalem were present at the ceremony. Celebrations had begun Tuesday when the streets were lit with festive lights. Chief Rabbis Shlomo Goren and Ovadia Yosef lead special prayers in Jerusalem’s synagogues. Former President Zalman Shazar participated Tuesday night in a dinner given by the Western Wall Yeshiva. But a light and sound show planned to take place on Mount Scopus was postponed due to stormy and unusually cold weather.
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