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Watch the site of the ancient home of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs, as well as King David, they way they saw it in winter... By: Yori Yanover
Tel Rumeida’s real name, according to the Jews who returned to live there, is Tel Hebron. It is the site of the ancient home of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs, as well as King David. Archeologists have suggested there is positive evidence that Jews have lived in this area since the days of Abraham and Sarah.
The land was purchased from Arabs in Hebron in 1811 by Rabbi Haim Bajaio. Earlier, in 1807, Rabbi Bajaio also bought land adjacent to the Jewish Quarter, known today as the Avraham Avinu neighborhood. But the property was first used as residential quarters in the summer of 1984, when Israel’s Defense Minister, on behalf of the Israeli government, agreed to a Jewish presence at the site.
During excavations conducted under Jordanian occupation in the early 1960s, many ancient artifacts were uncovered, including giant walls dating back to the days of Joshua.
Read more at: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/biblical-hebron-covered-in-snow/2013/12/12/
By: Gil Ronen, Arutz Sheva
The family of First Sergeant Gal Kobi, who was killed by an enemy sniper in Hevron during the Sukkot holiday, visited Hevron Wednesday. The family members wanted to get to know the place in which their beloved Gal had given his life.
The visitors included his father, Oved; his mother, Smadar; and his brothers Orel and Amit, whohad come from northern Israel together with many other family members. They were warmly received by members of the Jewishcommunity in Hevron and by local IDF soldiers.
Youths from Hevron's Jewish community also accompanied the family's tour. They had gotten to know the family in the course of the shiva for Gal Hy”d, at their home in the Tirat Hacarmel section of Haifa.
The visit's final stop was the Cave of Machpela, where the Yitzhak Hall – which is closed off to Jews during most of the year – was opened especially for them.
Oved summed up the visit, saying: “I thank you, residents of Hevron, for the hospitality and for our right to come here. We were very moved by the visit and the reception. We truly appreciate this, from the depth of our hearts, and hope to meet in happier circumstances.”
Gal, a Givati Brigade soldier, was shot in the neck by a sharpshooterin the Avraham Avinu neighborhood near the Cave of Machpela, at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 22. A Magen David Adom crew treated him and he was later taken by helicopter to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, but the doctors could not save his life.
The sharpshooter may have hid between buildings in an Arab neighborhood next to the Jewish section of the city.
As we approach Shabbat Chayei Sarah, when we read in the Torah about Abraham's purchase of Ma'arat HaMachpela, tonight, for the first time, the Knesset will host an evening to honor Hebron. The event is being sponsored by the Eretz Yisrael Lobby with particiaption of Mks, Deputy Ministers, Ministers, and many other officials and invited guests.
Presented here is Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's letter of Blessing in honor of this event and of Shabbat Chayei Sarah in Hebron:
Residents of Hebron and Dear Guests,
The roots of the existence of the Nation of Israel are inherent in the stories of the Fathers of the Nation about whom we read in the Torah during these weeks.
Abraham made his home in Hebron, one of the most ancient cities in the Land of Israel, thousands of years ago, paying full price for the Cave of Machpelah and its surroundings. This acquisition was the beginning of the eternal bond forged between our Nation and its Birthplace. Hebron also became the burial place of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. It is in Hebron that David established his monarchy , even before Jerusalem. Generations upon generations of Jews clung tenaciously to Hebron, even when the Land of Israel was occupied by foreigners.
Our deep bond to Hebron – in permanent and temporary settlement, as the destination for Jewish pilgrims and in the longing of prayer – was never disconnected and never ended. Rabbi Yehudah Halevi, one of the great Jewish poets of Spain, wrote the following lines about Hebron in his liturgical poem, “Zion do you not ask: “I will fall to my face upon your land, and I will greatly desire your rocks and I will favor your dust, when I stand upon the graves of my Fathers I will marvel at Hebron, the choicest of your burial sites.” Even the bloody pogrom perpetrated against the Jews of Hebron in 1929, 85 years ago, did not daunt the community’s survivors. They aspired to return to their city and to rebuild its ruins.
The renewal of the Jewish Community of Hebron after the Six Day Way forged another link in the generations-long chain. Now, the Jews were no longer forced to stop, humiliated, at the Seventh Step that leads to the Cave of Machpelah and to absent themselves from prayer at the holy site. The adherence of the children to the City of the Forefathers withstood the test of exile. The rebirth of the flourishing Jewish community in Hebron is the proof.
It is no coincidence that the government of Israel included the Cave of Machpelah in its list of National Heritage Sites. Hebron, like Jerusalem, has the power to unite Israel. The name ‘Hebron’ means ‘connection’ and expresses the strong and meaningful connection between us and our neighborly relations with the rest of the residents of the city.
My wish for you is that ‘Shabbat Hebron,’ with its thousands of participants, will deepen our affinity to the City of our Forefathers, to our Land and to our heritage.
With Blessings,
Binyamin Netanyahu
Here is an article about the significance of Netanyahu's support for the Jewish community of Hebron http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/173131#.UmgvLvlJOSo
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You have been asking, you have been patiently waiting and now here it is.
With gratitude to G-d, my production partners at 12 Tribe Films andChizuk Now we present Joy of Israel with Jamie Geller Episode #3: Hebron and the Southern Hebron Hills.
For a behind-the-scenes look at how this episode came to be, read on.
I had been to Israel about 10 times before making aliyah. And I lived here for over a year before making my way to Hebron for the first time in my entire life. For whatever reason it was just never on the itinerary of the synagogue trip, school sponsored semester abroad or mission I was part of.
When Chizuk Now contacted us about sponsoring this 3rd episode of Joy of Israel with Jamie Geller they had only one mission. They tasked us with filming a food and travel show set in Hebron to ensure this sacred city is both top of mind and a destination place for every tourist and resident of Israel.
Well I wasn’t sure what to do. I mean I had never been to the place, didn’t know what to expect. I began my research by taking my family on a tour with the famed Rabbi Simcha Hochbaum. He is known as Mr. Hebron. Literally everyone I called and spoke to said one name Rav Simcha and since all roads led to Rav Simcha I signed up for his weekly tour sponsored by the Hebron Fund.
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David Wilder
September 24, 2013
B”H – Baruch HaShem, Thank G-d. Yesterday was an overwhelming success. Some 25,000 people visited the city and participated in the Music Festival. Add on 10,000 the day before, and anther few thousand today and tomorrow. That’s almost 40,000 people in Hebron.
Of course, the murder of Gal Kobi HY”D, the Israeli soldier shot and killed is a tragedy that never should have happened. It will be difficult to console the family. Why should a twenty year old man be shot and killed by an Arab sniper? Only because he was Jewish, Israeli, and serving in the IDF, assisting to protect others living in, and visiting Hebron. And also ensuring that terrorists, such as the animal who killed him, aren’t able to travel freely around Israel, murdering Jews in Tel Aviv, or in his home city, Haifa.
But Israelis showed their bravery and heroism, not allowing this horrendous act to prevent their coming to Hebron. As is said, some 25,000 people yesterday, and thousands today and tomorrow, and next week and next month, vote with their feet – they let their feet do the talking, showing one and all: terrorists will not prevent Jews from visiting and living in their land, their cities, and their homes.
The shows yesterday were great. I caught the last few: Yishai Lapidot, Mendy Jerufi, and Ya’akov Shwekey. They were fantastic. Shwekey was all that was expected and more. See photos on our facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hebronofficial
Immediately following the murder, the director of yesterday’s programming spoke to Ya’akov, telling him about the terror attack. Shwekey assured him, on the spot, that he had no intentions to cancel. The show would go on, as planned.
And what a show it was. He dedicated two special songs. One of his most famous, Tatte, meaning Father, changing some of the original words for Hebron, he dedicated to the memory of the murdered soldier. Another was sung for the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces, serving our nation and our people. It was really something else.
What a day it was.
BS: A few hours after the murder, the Prime Minister issued a directive, ordering that all measures necessary to allow Jews back into Beit HaMachpela immediately, be implemented. The one and only measure necessary is that of the signature of the Defense Minister, Moshe ‘Bugi’ Ya’alon on a piece of paper, a permit, granting permission for Jews who purchased the site to move back in.
As might be recalled, last year the purchase was completed and Jews moved in. Two days later they were expelled. A military court ruled a couple of months ago, that the purchase was fully legal. The Jews should be allowed back in.
We’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting.
As of this morning, the story is that the Defense Minister ‘authorized’ the return to the building, but has yet to sign the permits. So my guess is that, because of his deeply religious practices, he doesn’t write on Chol HaMoed, the intermediary days of Succot, due to the sanctity of this week. (LOL)
So, maybe after the holidays, Thursday night?
BB: Well, actually it’s Bibi. Mr Prime Minister, who split Hebron in January, 1998, after promising he would never do such a thing. A few days ago he stated that anyone thinking they can uproot us from Hebron should know that it will never happen. And he promised, again. Back to Beit HaMachpela.
Well, it seems that a Prime Minister’s directive isn’t enough. Why? Maybe (no, it can’t be) he really didn’t mean it. Maybe (no, it can’t be), the message hasn’t yet filtered down to the Defense Minister. Or maybe there are people, in roles under the Prime Minister, who can control what the Prime Minister is actually able to do, or not do, despite his position and directives. (Yes, it can be!)
Pick one of the above: a, b, or c, or pick all of the above. Or none. Maybe its threats from the direction of the WH, where BB is supposed to go speak BS with next week with POSTUS.
But, we have no doubt, there will be much BH – blessings from above, and in the end, all will work out ok. Because the BH has been around longer that BB or BS or even POTUS, and will still be here when they are long gone.
Baruch HaShem.
Happy holidays from Hebron.
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THE HEBRON FUND
1760 Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11230
P: 718.677.6886
F: 718.677.6883
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