jerusalem 50

U.S. Zionists flock to Washington to celebrate 50 years of a REunified Jerusalem

Diverse Jewish organizations united by former Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner

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Martin Oliner was 20 when the 1967 Six-Day War broke out and it appeared that Israel, an established Jewish state for less than 20 years, could be destroyed by the combined strength of its Arab enemies — Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Syria.

“They were about to crush and eliminate Israel: They bragged about it,” said Oliner, a Lawrence resident and former mayor of the village. “They outnumbered Israel 20-1 militarily. A miracle occurred and the Israeli Air Force wiped out their air forces, and Israel gained control of the Golan Heights and Judea and Samaria.”

The military victory not only more than doubled the amount of territory under Israel’s control; but its army captured the Old City of Jerusalem from Jordan, including the iconic Western Wall; and unified Jerusalem which was unified under Jewish governance for the first time in 2,000 years.

To mark the reunification’s 50th anniversary, 26 national and global Jewish organizations will join with Democrats and Republicans from both houses of Congress for a two-hour celebration in the Senate Wing of the Capitol Visitor Center on May 17. It will take place a week before Yom Yerushalayim, a national holiday in Israel that commemorates the war and Jerusalem’s reunification.

“It’s extraordinary to help bring unity in the Jewish community,” said Oliner, co-president of the Religious Zionists of America, one of the groups that will attend the commemoration, and an event co-chair, along with his wife, Reva. “I’m very pleased to help bring 26 organizations together,” he added. “We will be thanking Congress and God for a unified Jerusalem.”

Lawrence residents Shalom and Iris Maidenbaum are also co-chairs of the reunification celebration. “We are very honored to be co-chairs,” Iris said. “We are Zionists, and are eternally grateful and proud of the state of Israel.” 

With so many Jewish groups attending — ranging from Alpha Epsilon Pi, a global Jewish fraternity, to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a museum that focuses on racism in the United States and the history of the Holocaust —Jews can concentrate on what unites them instead of what divides them, Shalom said he believes.

“The unification is a symbol of unity on many levels,” he said. “It will be a cross-section of Jewish organizations. Those from the left, the right, Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed.”  

Shalom noted that highlighting Jerusalem’s reunification now is especially important since the May 5 ratification of a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-sponsored resolution that deems Israel “the occupying power” in that city. “It delegitimizes Jews,” Shalom said. 

Rabbi Gideon Shloush will represent two organizations at the event. Since becoming a rabbi about 20 years ago, he has been involved with both the New York Board of Rabbis, the largest international body of its type in the world, and the Religious Zionists of America. He is an executive vice president of RZA.

Shloush credited Oliner with organizing the event, and called it “significant” and a “reminder of the longstanding bipartisan commitment of the U.S. Congress to the State of Israel.” 

“I am very proud to have a leadership role in promoting the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem,” Shloush said. “Proudly, we have more than 200 synagogues and day schools across North America that have signed the RZA honor roll committing to run events in honor of this milestone anniversary.”

Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Democrat,  who represents the Five Towns, said she looked forward to being part of the historic occasion. “The 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem,” she said, “is an important opportunity to reflect on the progress that we’ve seen over the past half century, and to reaffirm our commitment to Israel’s security and the pursuit of lasting peace.”