In 1790, when Washington, D.C., was designed to be the capital of the United States, it was envisioned not just as a seat of government, but as a place to gather a people. That aspiration — to create a space that could bring diverse citizens into shared purpose — is one Jerusalem has carried for thousands of years.

Israel is too often described in binaries: religious or secular, national or universal, particular or shared. But the ancient and eternal truth of Jerusalem resists that kind of thinking, and offers a sacred language of wholeness and holiness. The Holy City is, and has always been, both a center of Jewish identity and a city that speaks and hopes for the entire human community. It holds the sacred stories of the Jewish people, and yet its stones have also absorbed the prayers of Christians and Muslims for centuries. Its power and spiritual strength lies in this paradox — not in choosing one side, but in gratitude to be witnessing all faiths living side by side.

This is what we remember on Yom Yerushalayim. Beyond the historical moment of the city’s reunification, we are reminded of the deeper meaning of what it means to return to Jerusalem. Throughout Jewish history, even when only a small remnant returned from exile, Jews around the world kept their hearts and eyes turned toward this city. Jerusalem never belonged only to those who lived within its walls. It belonged to the entire people — a city where a Jew in Babylon, Paris, or Buenos Aires could feel connection and responsibility.

For us, Jerusalem is a city of belonging and longing. It is a spiritual home, a place where every Jew should find a foothold — not just in memory, but in presence. The city is incomplete if parts of our people feel excluded. We do both ourselves and Jerusalem a disservice when we treat it as territory to be claimed, rather than a spiritual inheritance to be shared by all. Our tradition has always insisted that each person has a place in Jerusalem — whether you live there or send your blessings from afar. It is this deep, enduring bond that makes Jerusalem our eternal capital.

And yet, Jerusalem is not ours. Jewish theology teaches that Jerusalem is the city of God — holy not only because we made it so, but because it bears the imprint of something beyond us, of the Eternal that we all belong to. That is why it has always drawn the attention and reverence of people of many faiths. To acknowledge this is not to weaken our claim; rather, it is to affirm the very essence of what makes the city sacred.

In the Jerusalemite communities and enterprises we each lead, we strive to reflect this vision and this language of Jerusalem. To build a Jerusalem that does not close in on itself, but opens its gates to others. A Jerusalem that welcomes the seeker, the dreamer, the stranger with humbleness and service. Where Jews of all denominations pray side by side, where Torah is studied in partnership with people of other faiths, where acts of charity, justice, and compassion are a central commitment of faith and fraternity. We believe that the truest strength of Jerusalem is not found in its walls — but in its windows.

That’s why we are proud to be part of Voice of the People, a collective effort to bring together Jews of diverse backgrounds and beliefs in a shared responsibility for our future. From the heart of Jerusalem, and under the auspices of the President of Israel, this initiative reminds us that unity does not mean uniformity. It means showing up for one another with humility and purpose. It means understanding that no one voice can carry the fullness of the Jewish story, duty, and destiny alone.

The Temple’s floor in Jerusalem was built from stones that were not identical — each was shaped differently, and yet each had its essential place. Its windows faced outward, not inward. Its design held space even for those who did not know where they belonged. That is our blueprint. That is the Jerusalem we are called to build.

Yom Yerushalayim is not only a celebration of what was reclaimed. It is a charge to create what still must be. A city where every person — Jewish or other — can see themselves reflected in its light. An Abrahamic center that teaches us how to hold dignity within difference, how to care across boundaries, and how to live with open hearts and extended hands.

May this Jerusalem — the Jerusalem of prayer, of justice, of shared hope and healing — continue to rise. May we be worthy of being its builders, together. Amen.