Israelis Celebrate Jerusalem Day

Israelis today celebrate Jerusalem Day, a national holiday that commemorates the reunification of West and East Jerusalem following Israel’s victory during the 1967 war. A year later, in 1968, Israel’s parliament, known as the Knesset, proclaimed the day a holiday to be celebrated on its Hebrew date, the 28th of Iyar, each year.  In 1998, the Knesset passed the Jerusalem Day Law, codifying it as a national holiday. Jerusalem Day, or Yom Yerushalayim, is celebrated with parades and festivities throughout the city, and is officially marked by state ceremonies.