Jerusalem of Gold Mystery Solved: Six-Day War Hero Identified After 59 Years
The mystery behind a heartfelt postcard sent to Israeli songwriter Naomi Shemer has finally been solved. The National Library of Israel announced on Sunday that the author was Aharon Bar-Oz, a decorated Six-Day War veteran who wrote to Shemer from the frontlines in 1967.
This discovery closes a nearly six-decade chapter in Israeli cultural history, uniting two artifacts that tell the story of a nation at war and a song that became its anthem of hope.
How did a soldier's postcard become part of Israeli history?
Yerushalayim Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold) was first performed by Shuli Nathan on the eve of Independence Day in 1967. Just three weeks later, on June 5, the Six-Day War erupted. The next day, while traveling to entertain troops in the Sinai Desert, Shemer heard on the radio that the IDF had recaptured the Old City of Jerusalem.
Moved by the moment, she quickly wrote the iconic fourth verse in her small address book:
We have returned to the cisterns, to the market and the marketplace; a shofar calls out on the Temple Mount in the Old City.
That very same day, Bar-Oz sent his postcard from the northern front. He was later wounded while fighting in the Golan Heights.
What did the soldier write to Naomi Shemer?
Bar-Oz wrote on behalf of his reconnaissance unit, praising the song that had become the soundtrack of their struggle:
Well done! And well done again. Your song Yerushalayim Shel Zahav has become part of our life in the outposts. Our guys don't stop singing and appreciating it, because a song like this becomes iconic, especially these days when the nation is fighting and winning.
He added a striking detail: At this very moment our aircraft are bombing the Golan Heights, and your song is playing on the radio. Tuesday, 9:35.
Shemer kept the postcard and replied nine days later, after the war ended. She wrote: I'm glad that you and the entire unit can now be congratulated on your victory. And it's nice to hear that I could help you from afar, at least by way of the song.
How was the author identified after all these years?
Bar-Oz, now 89, had kept Shemer's response framed on his wall for decades. The breakthrough came during a tour of the National Library's exhibit on Shemer's personal archives. A participant, Bar-Oz's daughter, recognized her father's handwriting on the displayed postcard.
In mid-August, Bar-Oz donated Shemer's framed reply to the National Library, finally reuniting the two pieces of history.
What does Bar-Oz say about his wartime letter?
Recalling the moment, Bar-Oz told Ynet: There wasn't even a table or chair. I had another soldier stand in front of me and used his back as a writing surface. That's how I wrote the postcard and sent it to Naomi Shemer's home in Kibbutz Kvutzat Kinneret, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
He expressed surprise that no one else had written to Shemer: Out of hundreds of thousands of mobilized soldiers, everyone was singing Jerusalem of Gold, and nobody had written Naomi Shemer a letter of thanks and appreciation. I wrote it simply because it felt right.
Now, the letter has found its permanent home. Bar-Oz explained: It must be there, especially for the grandchildren and for those who say, 'We'd rather die than enlist.'
Why does this story matter for Israel today?
This story is a testament to the spirit of 1967, when a song and a soldier's words captured the soul of a nation reuniting with its eternal capital. As the psalmist wrote, If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill (Psalm 137:5). Bar-Oz's postcard and Shemer's reply are not just artifacts; they are living proof of the bond between the people of Israel and the city of gold, a bond that no passage of time can weaken.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the author of the postcard to Naomi Shemer?
The author was Aharon Bar-Oz, a Six-Day War veteran who wrote to Shemer from the frontlines on June 6, 1967.
Where is the postcard now preserved?
The postcard and Shemer's reply are now preserved together at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.
What is the significance of the fourth verse of Jerusalem of Gold?
The fourth verse, written after the liberation of the Old City, celebrates the return of the Jewish people to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.