The Spirit of Jerusalem
By Natan Sharansky

(January 12) - On Monday, 400,000 Jews gathered outside the 
walls of the Old City and swore allegiance to Jerusalem. 
In doing so, those who attended the rally, along with their 
supporters both in Israel and abroad, joined the countless 
generations of our people who have affirmed our nation's 
abiding refusal to turn its back on that which we hold most 
sacred. 

In every generation, the Jewish people have faced a clear 
and often painful choice. While this choice has assumed 
many different forms throughout our history, from conversion 
in the Middle Ages to assimilation in the Modern Age, it has 
remained essentially the same - to be true to our faith, 
tradition and people no matter what the consequences, or to 
escape our identity in the hope that this would afford a 
measure of peace, quiet and acceptance. 

We are here today as Jews precisely because our forefathers 
refused to opt for "peace now" solutions, no matter how 
difficult the alternative. That is why the spirit of Jews as 
diverse as those who fought against Greek assimilation, 
rebelled against Roman tyranny, died rather than convert, 
and rejected a plan to build a national home in Uganda were 
all with us this week - for while they are no longer physically 
present, the idea that justified their struggle endures. 

In the last few weeks and months, the hostile intentions of 
those with whom we seek to make peace have been unmasked. 
No doubt it is obvious to all who are not blind that the 
Palestinian leadership is not yet prepared to live in peace 
with us and that in this environment, concessions will only 
lead to more violence. But when it comes to Jerusalem, this is 
beside the point. The Jewish people must refuse to divide 
Jerusalem not because our neighbors don't desire peace, but 
because even peace is not worth any price - and a peace that 
demands that we sacrifice our identity as a nation and undermine 
our connection as one people is a peace that must be rejected. 

Jerusalem is not merely the capital of our country, but also the 
bedrock of our existence - the nexus of Jewish national and 
religious life. For 1,000 years of life in the Land of Israel, 
it was here that our priests prayed, our prophets preached, and 
our kings ruled. For the 2,000 years of our exile, it was the 
source of our hopes and aspirations, symbolizing our dream to 
return to Zion, ingather our people, and rebuild our nation. 

We are told by those who support Jerusalem's division that it 
is only a "symbol." But if there were ever a people of symbols, 
it is the Jews. We fill our days, months and years with a 
multitude of symbols of faith, tradition and heritage that 
give meaning to our lives and purpose to our history. Jerusalem, 
perhaps more than any other, has proven the most potent symbol 
of all. 

I know the enormous capacity of this "symbol" to empower those 
who invoke its name and believe in its force. Over two decades 
ago, I said the following words to a Soviet Court about to 
sentence me to 15 years in prison for my work as a Jewish 
activist. 

"For 2,000 years the Jewish people, my people, have been 
dispersed all over the world and seemingly deprived of any 
hope of returning. But still, each year Jews have stubbornly, 
and apparently without reason, said to each other, 'Leshana 
haba'a biyrushalayim!' ('Next year in Jerusalem!') And today, 
when I am further than ever from my dream, from my people, 
and from my Avital, and when many difficult years of prisons 
and camps lie ahead of me, I say to my wife and to my people, 
Leshana haba'a biyrushalayim." 

And this week, together with my family, writing these words in 
our historic capital city as the leader of the Jewish state 
turns his back on the hundreds of generations that came before 
him and agrees to trade his nation's most sacred possession for 
a promise of peace, quiet and acceptance, I say to my ancient 
people, Leshana haba'a biyrushalayim.