Jerusalem Day: The self-deception of ignoring all of the Israeli capital's problems - opinion

Jerusalem Day is an annual occasion of smoke and mirrors. The city puts on a grand show, crowds throng the streets, and politicians who, for the other 364 days of the year, don’t give a second thought to the city’s problems and are rarely concerned with its well-being, suddenly make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. They place their hand on the Western Wall, have their picture taken against the backdrop of the Old City walls, and make press releases emphasizing the city’s holiness, beauty, and importance. They declare how the city is ‘fully unified’ forever and ever and is exclusively ours until the end of time. Applause!

The reality is, an hour later they have likely left the city and returned west to the coast, and by the next day, they have all but forgotten its existence. They deny the conditions there and gloss over the controversies that regularly tear it apart. They completely overlook that the crises that characterize the city at any given moment will quickly be mirrored across the rest of the country. This is the ongoing pattern, year after year. So perhaps what they mean is that this is Jerusalem’s Day, when the other 364 days are clearly not.

And just to dispel any doubt, I firmly believe that there is nowhere as special as Jerusalem. I am an integral part of it, and it is part of me. I was born in the city, grew up, studied, and fell in love in it. Here, through choice, we decided to make our home and raise a family. I love Jerusalem deeply, but love is not blind:

The truth behind Jerusalem

I know that behind the façade of “Jerusalem of Gold” lies the poorest city in Israel.

I know that alongside the title “Capital of Israel,” Zionists are actually a minority in the city.

I know that the pressure to continually construct more and more buildings means that the expression in Psalms: “Jerusalem, hills enfold it” needs to be reimagined as “Jerusalem, skyscrapers encircle her.”

I know that the city, holy to three religions, suffers from racism that sometimes fills its streets, and that Christians are frequently spat upon by Jewish extremists when walking in the Old City.

Despite Jerusalem encompassing all the conflicts, rifts, disputes, and problems found in Israel, the city surpasses Tel Aviv in the number and quality of its cultural events. Jerusalem boasts a world-renowned modern university, leading medical facilities, dozens of cooperative businesses, vibrant liberal communities, and one of the best educational systems in the country.

How can this be? How does all this good exist within the context of all these difficulties? The answer lies with the Jerusalemites themselves. The overwhelming majority of residents, representing all kinds of religions and sectors, harbor a deep love for the city. It is this love that, in turn, fosters and nurtures cutting-edge social innovation. Jerusalem functions as Israel’s laboratory for finding answers to the country’s problems in coexistence, Jewish renewal, urban sustainability, uniting the ranks of liberal groups, and much, much more.

Having ignored the warning signs and experienced the terrible events that followed, I propose that this year on Jerusalem Day, anyone who doesn’t truly understand the city should, for a moment, stop denying the reality and not overlook the deep chasms that exist in the city’s fabric. We have a real opportunity to face up to this reality and, most importantly, to learn from those who try to find solutions to resolve them. For if we succeed in Jerusalem, we will succeed in every place in Israel.

And if we don’t succeed in Jerusalem? The whole country will face a serious problem.

Rather than merely offering lip service and empty rhetoric, let us direct our attention to the men and women of Jerusalem who have contributed so much to make the city a better place. They have worked tirelessly to create a space that is open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of background, surpassing those who harbor distrust and disdain toward those from different communities.

On the heels of Jerusalem Day and throughout the year, let us celebrate those whose love for their city knows no bounds and unites its people in harmony.

The writer is an MK in the Yesh Atid Party.