One week separates between Jerusalem Day and Shavuot. During the times of the Temple, Jews brought their first fruits of the harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem on Shavuot. The Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, the Jewish National Fund, recently released photographs of the center of town in Jerusalem taken from 1948-1970. Included within the collection is a photograph of representatives from Shaare Zedek participating in the annual Three Day Jerusalem March.

The annual Jerusalem March was established in April of 1955 as a four day march to Jerusalem for 200 IDF soldiers who were joined by 70 civilians. In 1957, the Jerusalem March turned into a popular event with roughly 5,000 soldiers and civilians marching. By 1966, the number of marchers tripled. In 1968, Lt. General Mordechai “Motta” Gur, the IDF Chief of Staff at the time, reduced the march to three days. Heavy rains in the fall of 1972 dispersed the march soonafter it began and in 1972, due to budgetary issues, the march was cancelled. In March of 1973 and it was decided to move the march to Sukkot rather than Pesach. In 1974, the march was reduced to one day and there were various trail options of varying degrees of difficulty offered so that walkers of all levels could participate.

Just as it was then, roughly fifty years ago, Shaare Zedek Medical Center continues to care and support the people of Jerusalem.

Please enjoy this moving glimpse into the past of Jerusalem.

https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5737176,00.html