Plenty to Celebrate on Jerusalem Day [miraculously historic events in May 1967]

Confusion again reigns today in many Jewish circles, particularly in Israel: Some of us joyfully celebrate a festive holiday, while others watch from the side, not sure what to make of it. Some recite the usual Tachanun penitential prayer and bemusedly ask, "What, another religious-Zionist holiday?" as their neighbors recite the joyous Hallel prayer instead.

A quick review of the miraculously historic events of this month 48 years ago may help clear up some of the confusion. A brief synopsis: As on Purim, Passover, and other holidays, our enemies set out to destroy us – literally – and G-d came to the rescue at the last moment.

Excerpt: After the Temple Mount fell to the Israeli Army on the second day of the 1967 war, [Shlomo] Goren, then Army Chief Rabbi, asked Central Region Commander General Uzi Narkiss to place 100 kg. of dynamite in the Dome of the Rock.

Goren repeated the need to blow up the Dome of the Rock at an all-day seminar on the Temple Mount for reservists in the military rabbinate. In the heat of war, where there was much bombing, such an action could have been carried out, Goren claimed, without even a formal military order to counter sniper firing from the Jordanians on the Mount.

After the war Goren asked the Army’s Engineering Corps to measure out the precise location where the Temple had been situated on the plateau.

Excerpt: Goren took aside Central Command Head General Uzi Narkiss at the site and, ensuring that nobody overheard him, told him: “Uzi, this is the moment to put 100 kg of dynamite into the Dome of the Rock, and that will be it. Once and for all we will be rid of it.” Narkiss replied: “Rabbi, Stop.” Goren persisted: “You will enter the pages of history for such an act. You don’t grasp the very important implications for such an action. This is an opportunity which it’s possible to exploit now at this moment. Tomorrow, it won’t be possible to do anything.” Narkiss replied: “Rabbi, if you don’t stop I will take you from here to prison.” Goren walked away without a word.

http://www.jcpa.org/jpsr/s99-yc.htm

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