City Daily Photo bloggers are helping our New Zealand members celebrate their national day, Waitangi Day.
You can see what connections different bloggers have to New Zealand at the CDP portal.
My own fondness for NZ is based on Middle-earth and Hobbits and such . . . .
But Jerusalem's big link to New Zealand is, sadly, in the [British] Jerusalem War Cemetery on Mt. Scopus.
Every April I attend the ANZAC Day Commemoration Service there.
(The photos here can be much enlarged with two clicks.)
The World War I Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers were welcomed by the Jewish population as liberators in Jerusalem in 1917, having fought their way from Egypt, through the Sinai, Gaza, Beersheva, up to Jerusalem.
Above the lintel quoting the Apocrapha Book of Maccabees, it says "The interior has been decorated by NEW ZEALAND in honour of the members of the NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE who took part in the operations in Sinai and Palestine 1916-1918."
"From the uttermost ends of the earth" -- yes, how true.
Represented are Hope, Humanity, Faith, and Patriotism.
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Happy Waitangi Day, Kiwi friends.
We thank your ancestors who died fighting here in the Holy Land. May you never know war again.
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To learn more about ANZAC Day in Jerusalem and about the lovingly-tended big cemetery of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on Mt. Scopus, please see my posts here, here, here, and here.
Or click on my label ANZAC Day.
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Nice one,a very fitting tribute Dina.
ReplyDeletep.s I must admit I always remember the magnificent scenery as shown in Lord of the Rings when I think of NZ..must get there one day.
You did it. You found the flag I was looking for.
ReplyDeleteSad, but a lovely tribute.
ReplyDeleteWe share the same fondness about NZ. :)
The first time I learned about ANZAC was watching Peter Weir's Gallipoli...
ReplyDeleteSo fascinating, I know so little of this chapter in history (like VP, main exposure was from the film Gallipoli). Sad but beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and Happy Waitangi Day to all..
ReplyDeleteLet us hope as you write that they never know war again.. Great picture and post!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful and informative post.
ReplyDeleteI am Australian, so I think of Britain as mum and New Zealand as younger brother. We go to beautiful New Zealand on holidays as often as possible.
ReplyDeleteWe did go to where that treaty was signed. I'll send you a photo. We LOVED New Zealand!!!
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