A unique prayer order for the three religions that was Published on the occasion of the British conquest of ...

A unique prayer order for the three religions that was Published on the occasion of the British conquest of Jerusalem. December 9, 1917

FORM OF SERVICE TO BE HELD IN THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE THE MARTYR, JERUSALEM ON DECEMBER THE NINTH - The Day of the occupation of Jerusalem. " To thank and glorify g-d ... and send his blessing on the holy land in the future" Rare prayer order composed for the three religions in Hebrew, English and Arabic on the occasion of the British conquest of Jerusalem on December 9, 1917.

The occupation of Jerusalem by the British was one of the climaxes in the campaign on Sinai and Israel during the First World War. Jerusalem surrendered to the British Army without a fight on December 9, 1917, after the Ottoman army withdrew from the city the night before. General Edmund Allenby entered the city two days later, on December 11, officially accepting the surrender. This ended the Ottoman regime's 400 years of rule over Jerusalem and Israel, and the British rule over Israel began. The event expressed to the British the desire to renew Christian control in Jerusalem, which ended with the defeat of the Crusaders and their departure from the Land of Israel centuries earlier. The British conqueror considered his occupation a formative step for the three religions. Therefor, when General Allenby entered the gates of Jerusalem with his officers He got off his horse and walked by his foot through the Jaffa Gate out of respect for the Holy City of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In his official declaration, Allenby even expressed this attitude: " Do not fear any of you in light of the experience you had of the departing opponent ... Because the followers of the three great religions of mankind have affection for your city, and its land is sacred in the prayers and pilgrimages of devout people of these three religions for many centuries Therefore, I have informed you that any sacred structure, a memorial, a holy place, a temple, a traditional site, a sanctuary, a religious heritage site, or a traditional place of worship of all forms of all three religions will be preserved and protected according to the existing customs and beliefs of those It is sacred."

After the conquest of the south, Loyd George ordered General Allenby to conquer Jerusalem " as a Christmas present to the Christian world" (which took place two weeks later), the bells of all the churches in Rome rang for a full hour, and in other places, and on the other hand, Jerusalem Jews lit a first candle Of Chanukah that evening and congratulated her on the resurgence that appeared  " Bayamim Hahem bazman hazeh."

Against this backdrop, the prayers before us compiled in the three languages. Alongside confession, the sanctification of G-d, and the tenets of the faith, are words that refer to the great event: The Lord's Prayer will remember the souls of the heroes who sacrificed their souls for the great thing in the Holy Land and everywhere: " Everyone who gave their lives to liberate the Holy Land" Peace on earth, great and great peace that the world did not know from ever" . And a solemn prayer to thank the G-ds for victory and salvation: " We glorify you and thank you for the victory we have instilled in this great and terrible war of recent times ..." .

Rare prayer. one copy in the National Library, and only one copy in the Center for Jewish History, NY. Not seen in recent years. See also Christies auction - London, April 21, 2016.

20 p. 21 cm. Original cardboard binding. Very good condition.