The central rally marking the 52nd anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem took place on Sunday evening at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in the city, with the participation of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, cabinet ministers, rabbis, public figures and yeshiva students.
Netanyahu said in his remarks, "I am always excited when I come here, from the spiritual return of your wonderful words, Rabbi Shapira. I remember your father, I see the sturdy tree, see the trunk and the branches and the leaves, and when I am here with you and the rabbis of the yeshiva, I feel like I am part of a family, my wife Sara is here and she is not afraid at all.”
"I see ministers, deputy ministers, Rabbi Rafi [Peretz] and Bezalel [Smotrich], and our former mayor Nir Barkat, and many friends who are here and of course the mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion. It’s a family, I say this from the bottom of my heart with a genuine appreciation for this magnificent yeshiva,” continued the Prime Minister.
"Anyone who has not seen the joy of Jerusalem Day at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva did not see... you know the rest of the saying. Such great joy, such great spirit, thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Netanyahu continued, "Life is accompanied by compromises, but you also know that there are moments when it is forbidden to compromise, that we must insist, stand up for ourselves, not bow our heads.”
"I think that the test of leaders is first of all to know how to distinguish between two things: to compromise when necessary and to insist when necessary and to stand firm against the entire world if we need to about what is vital to the future of our people," Netanyahu said.