50,000 Signatures from Jews, Christians Around World Proclaiming Jerusalem's Unity Presented to Speaker of Knesset

Abra Forman : Jul 24, 2015
Breaking Israel News

This year, the Covenant received 50,264 signatures from over 100 countries, ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe.

On Thursday, during the Nine Days preceding the Ninth of Av, which commemorates the anniversary of the destruction of the Jewish Holy Temples and Jerusalem, a collection of over 50,000 signatures to a document proclaiming the city's eternal unity as Israel's undivided spiritual and political capital was presented by Israel365 to Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein. (Photo: Lea Speyer/ Breaking Israel News)

The document, known as the Jerusalem Covenant, is inspired by the renewal of the covenant of God during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, and incorporates Biblical passages as well as Rabbinic texts that emphasize the importance of Jerusalem. The Covenant was first drafted in 1992 by Deputy Chief Justice Rabbi Menachem Elon to mark the 25th anniversary of the city's reunification.

In 2013, faith-based diplomacy NGO Israel365 revived the Covenant, offering Jewish and Christian supporters of Zion world-wide the chance to express their belief in Israel's ancient Biblical right to the city of Jerusalem. The first project garnered over 10,000 digital signatures in just two weeks, and the following year, the Covenant gained double the amount of signatures, reaching a total of over 23,000 signatories.

This year, the Covenant received 50,264 signatures from over 100 countries, ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe. The timing of the presentation is especially significant this year, as the Ninth of the Hebrew month of Av, which this year falls on Sunday, July 26, represents the yearning of Jews to renew the glory of Jerusalem. The day is the anniversary of the destruction of both the first and second Holy Temples, and Jews are commanded to mourn the loss for a full nine days.

The signatures, bound and printed in a book, were presented to Edelstein by Israel365 staff and Root Source co-founder Gidon Ariel in Edelstein's office at the Knesset. Edelstein expressed admiration for the project and appreciation for its efforts to grow interfaith support for Israel.

"Thank you very much for what you're doing," he said. Edelstein spoke about the importance of coexistence between different religions, especially considering recent tensions, saying, "We are facing a serious clash of civilizations, and not everyone's head is very well set for that."

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