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Teaching Hebron’s Real Jewish History to Young Israelis
The Im Tirtzu movement works to strengthen and advance the values of Zionism in Israel.
2.12.2016
The Im Tirtzu college student organization has been organizing regular tours of Hebron and hoped to bring thousands. They aim to at strengthen the historical national connection to the city in a program “to connect more students to the history of Hebron and to strengthen each student’s deep connection to the place.”
Tour organizers expect a turnout of 5,000 students throughout the academic year.
The first tour took place on Thursday, leaving from Bar-Ilan University on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. According to Im Tirtzu, the tours provides a balancing point of view in a milieu where radical, anti-Israel groups use tours of the city to slander and delegitimize Israel. They visited the Tomb of Machpela, King David Street (also known as Shuhada Street), the ancient Jewish cemetery, the Tel Hevron archaeological park, the historic Beit Romano building, and the Hebron Heritage Museum.
The program organizers have discussed potential run-ins with radical anti-Zionist groups during the tour, concluding that “if students on the tour encounter foreign journalists, European MPs, or anti-Israel propaganda tours led by radical NGOs, they will be permitted to provide them with educational materials that expose the hypocrisy and double standards of the delegitimization campaign against Israel.”
“Of course,” the organizers stress, “there must be an emphasis on appropriate conduct and politeness.”
The program is expected to run at all the Israeli universities and colleges with Im Tirtzu groups, including Hebrew University, the Technion, and Tel Aviv, Ben-Gurion, Bar-Ilan, Haifa, and Ariel universities.
Spokesman for the Hebron Jewish Community Yishai Fleisher noted that “Hebron and the Cave of the Patriarchs are at the foundation of the People of Israel and represent our historical right to the land. It is astonishing that the anti-Zionist narrative brazenly chooses to rip out these deep historical roots – entrenched in Jewish consciousness and borne out by archaeological proof – in their slanderous tours of the city. Apparently, they believe that the Jews and the world have forgotten history, and so they promote a false narrative depicting Jews as foreigners and as occupiers of their own country.”
Fleisher expressed his hope that the Im Tirtzu tours will help “thousands of students to learn the historical truth of Hebron that will strengthen their connection to the city. They will also learn about the heroic spirit of Hebron that is much-needed today. In the end, the program will empower the students, the State of Israel’s presence in Hebron, and the entire Zionist narrative.”
Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg has written the leaders of the Jewish Community of Hebron that “Im Tirtzu recognized that radical organizations are trying to harm one of the most important historical locations of the People of Israel. Bringing hundreds and thousands of students to Hebron this year and in upcoming years is the best answer to all those who are trying to rewrite the history of Israel.”
These tours,” Peleg continued, “will ensure that the historical connection to Hebron will be passed on to the next generation of Israelis who will see with their own eyes what’s happening in the city and will learn about the lies perpetrated by radical organizations.”
Peleg expressed his commitment that Im Tirtzu would help keep Hebron at the heart of the Israeli consensus “despite the efforts of foreign-agent organizations.” Noting that Jewish history in Israel began in Hebron, with the purchase of the Cave of the Patriarchs some 3,500 years ago, Peleg promised that Im Tirtzu would help “the future of Israel continue to prosper in Hebron.”
Credit: JNi.Media. A version of this article appeared in the Jewish Press.
New Archeology Discovered in Tel Hebron
Just in time for Parshat Chayei Sarah, archaeologists uncover ancient mikvah, Jewish house in Hebron.
11/18/2016
(Photo: Veteran Jewish community leader Uri Karzen joins archaeologists on the latest excavation of Tel Hebron.)
The Tel Hebron (Tel Hevron) / Admot Yishai neighborhood continues to reveal a treasure trove of archaeological artifacts dating back thousands of years. The most recent excavations were once again conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and have uncovered a mikvah (Jewish ritual bath), and homes belonging to Jewish residents during the Second Temple Era.
The team also worked to clean up the heaps of garbage that has been dumped by local non-Jewish residents on the hillside.
(Photo: The slope in the empty field became a convenient place for citizens of H1 Hebron to dump garbage, which has sat for years.)
In 2014, the Israel Antiquities Authority and Ariel University led by archaeologists Prof. Emanuel Eisenberg and Prof. Shlomo Ben-David uncovered mikvot next to wine presses. Historians explain that the wine was for ritual use in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and thus the wine makers would immerse in the mikvah to become purified before beginning work. Next to the wine presses is an area where the workers would then package wine and olive oil into containers.
(Photo: The seemingly empty tract of land revealed remains of buildings from the Jewish community during the Second Temple Era.)
Both the 2014 discoveries and the new finds are located on the hillside near the ancient "Cyclopean wall" behind the Tomb of Jesse and Ruth.
Thousands of visitors are expected for the annual Shabbat Hebron on the weekend of Parshat Chayei Sarah. This year’s celebration is expected to be bigger than every thanks to an anonymous donor who is sponsoring a Chabad tent offering free meals in what may turn out to be the largest Shabbat gathering in history.
Last year’s Shabbat Hebron was marred by a terrorist shooting incident in which two people were injured by bullets. An American college student, 20-year-old Eli Borochov, was injured but nevertheless expressed interest in returning this year.
This year’s event will come on the tales of the latest vote by the United Nations UNESCO vote to condemn Israel which erases any Jewish connection to Hebron and Jerusalem.
Jewish-Ethiopian MK, Foreign Ministry Cadets meet at Tomb of Machepla
May 8, 2016
Original Here
MK Dr. Avraham Neguise is the latest Israeli official to visit Israel's second holiest city. He Met with Foreign Ministry cadets.
Member of Knesset Dr. Avraham Neguise, the head of the Knesset Absorption Committee and a Jewish-Ethiopian rights activists, toured Hebron this week with his staff and with heads of the Jewish community.
While MK Neguise was at the Tomb of Machpela, ancient burial site of the Biblical Matriarchs and Patriarchs, he spoke with a group of Foreign Ministry cadets who coincidentally came to tour the city at the same time.
(Photo: MK Neguise talks to Foreign Ministry cadets)
"It is so important that you are here," said Dr. Neguise, who had just returned from a public advocacy trip abroad. "I am familiar with the issues that our enemies raise, and so it is important for us to to learn about our roots, so you can be prepared to stand against all obstacles. You are now better equipped to explain the State of Israel, our history, and our connection to this land."
(Photo: MK Neguise with leaders of the Jewish Community of Hebron.)
(Photo: MK Neguise talks to the young men and women who have joined the Foreign Ministry.)
During the tour, MK Neguise was interviewed by Israeli radio on issues pertaining to the Jewish-Ethiopian community. He is discussing the idea of bringing more Ethiopian Jews and other immigrant communities to the city to build a connection with the story of Hebron. "We have to find a special day to bring Ethiopian Jews to the city on a pilgrimage" he said.
The arrival of MK Neguise was preceded a few days earlier by another official, Minister of Science, Technology and Space Ofir Akunis. After taking part in a circumcision ceremony at the Tomb of Machpela, he stated:
"I am finishing a tour of Hebron, city of our fore-mothers and forefather, and I am here at the foot of Tomb of Machepela, the beginnings of the amazing 3800-year-old story of the Jewish people. I have been hearing the recent claims by parts of the international community which deny the ancient connection of the Jewish people to this land. However, no amount of propaganda, and no effort to deny or smudge the basic truth will succeed. We were born in these places, and this is where our fathers walked. We are here to stay, to build, and not to leave. We are here to ensure the growth of places like the Jewish community of Hebron, Kiryat Arba, and all of Judea and Samaria, as well as the Gallil, the Negev, development towns, the coastal plain and the big cities. This is our land, and it is the basic right of a people to their homeland. Our homeland is the land of Israel, and here we will stay."
(Photo: Minister Akunis with leaders of the Jewish Community of Hebron in the Tomb of Machepla complex.)
(Photo: Minister Akunis with IDF soldiers protecting the State of Israel stationed in Hebron.)
(Photo: Minister Akunis in the Museum of Jewish History of Hebron in the Beit Hadassah building.)
Photos and videos of MK Neguise in Hebron
https://goo.gl/photos/
Photos and video of Miniter Akunis in Hebron
https://goo.gl/photos/
10,000 Visit Hebron for Rosh Chodesh Elul
September 1, 2016
The Isaac & Rebecca Hall was open for the special first-of-the-month ceremonies.
Thursday was the first day of September on the Gregorian calendar, the first day of school throughout Israel, and the first day of the month of Elul on the Hebrew calendar.
Over 10,000 people visited Hebron on Thursday for the 1st of Elul. The Hall of Rebecca and Isaac was open for Jewish prayer, an occurrence which takes place ten days a year.
Buses streamed to the holy city throughout the day as people devoted their time to prayer and introspection at the resting place of the Biblical Matriarchs and Patriarchs: Sarah and Abraham, Isaac and Rebecca, and Leah and Jacob.
Others admired the impressive construction of the edifice erected by King Herod 2,000 years ago as a memorial to the Patriarchs and Matriarchs.
The day preceding the first day of Elul is called “Hilulat Avot” - the commemoration of the Patriarchs. Elul marks the beginning of Slichot. The prayers of penitence usher in the High Holiday season which begins the next month with Rosh Hashana. Prayers for Yom Kippur Katan, or small Yom Kippur were recited as well.
People wandered through the monumental structure, taking in it's unique ambiance as impromptu groups formed prayer quorums. The Ohel Yitzchak v'Rivka, as it is called in Hebrew, is the largest room in the complex. Situated in the middle are the cenotaphs, or memorial markers for Isaac and Rebecca, their actual tombs being deep below in the double cave. Crowds gathered in front of the small hole that drops into the cave to feel the breeze that emanates from the caverns below.
Elul services at the Tomb of Machpela is a tradition dating back generations. The rotation agreement with the Muslim Waqf stipulates that Jewish and Muslim worshipers each have exclusive access to the entire complex ten days a year. The rest of the year the complex is divided into Muslim and Jewish portions, the Isaac and Rebecca Hall being on the Muslim side. Also on this side are the entrances to the caves, now inaccessible.
The days reserved for Jewish prayer generally correspond to holidays such as Rosh Hashana, Passover, Sukkot, Parshat Chaya Sarah, etc. when tens of thousands of Jewish visitors come to Hebron. The Muslim-only days coincide with their special month-long holiday of Ramadan.
Also open on this day is the Tomb of Abner Ben Ner. The underground room has been a site of prayer for generations and corresponds to the Bible's description of Abner's death during the days of King Saul. For full article click here:
Writers throughout history have referenced visiting the grave of Abner, next to the Machpela Cave, just as it is situated today.
According to the writings of D. Avishar, a resident of Hebron in the early 1900's, Hebron was a place of Elul pilgrimage for generations. He wrote:
"The month of Elul in Hebron brought with it hundreds of visitors from afar. The first to arrive, by foot, would be the young men from Tsor, Sidon and Damascus. When the visitors would reach the out-skirts of Hebron, the youngsters and community leaders, singing joyously, would go out to welcome them and accompany them to the community inn. The visit of the young men would bring great joy to the Hebron community. During the day the visitors would pray at the Cave of Machpela and other holy places in the city. At night they would dance and sing, and the entire community would come to the inn to participate in the festivities.”
30,000 Attend Hebron Passover Festival, Celebrate 50th Anniversary
April 27, 2016
Original Here
A rocking concert, an impassioned speech in Arabic and memories of the first modern Passover in Hebron
(Photo: Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked speaks in front of the Tomb of Machpela on Monday.)
Approximately thirty thousand people participated in the annual Passover music festival in Hebron held in front of the Tomb of Machpela, burial site of the Biblical Matriarchs and Patriarchs on Monday, April 25, 2016.
This year's event was held in honor of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the liberation of Hebron during the dramatic Six Day War of 1967.
Veterans of those heady days in the late 1960s as well as elected officials spoke at the special ceremony. Rabbi David Lau, Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi and son of former Chief Rabbi and Holocaust survivor Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau stated, "This large and holy crowd has gathered here to begin the jubilee celebrations of the liberation of Judea and Samaria... We have come here to mark 50 years from when we returned, and this time it is a full return because we will never have to stand at the "seventh step" in order to pray with Mother and Father. As we have merited this, may we merit to have full return and to settle the nation of Israel in its land." He also quoted the prophet Jeremiah (31:15) saying, "restrain your voice from weeping... thy sons have returned to their borders."
Rabbi Lau referred to the infamous seventh step of the staircase that once led into the Tomb of Machpela complex. For about 700 years, Ottoman officials forbade Jewish residents from entering beyond this point.
Rabbi Haim Druckman, a founder of the Gush Emunim movement in the 1960s, and an Israel Prize laureate reminisced about the first days of the return to the city.
"I was privileged to attend the first modern seder in Hebron. In the morning when we went from the edge of the Cave of the Patriarchs, we were singing and dancing with a Torah in our arms. We were initially afraid to ride by Arab run public transportation, but there was no other bus. There were white flags of surrender in all the windows of the city. What changed? We started talking about the land itself. We went back to the forefathers. We returned to the matriarchs. We went back to where it all began. It was clear to everyone that we're back. And all of reality was different. Hebron is the foundation of all the renewed communities in Judea and Samaria... I can not promise you peace. I can only promise I will do everything in my power to stand up our historical rights for the sake of all citizens of the entire country."
(Photo: 30,000 people visited Hebron on Passover. Credit: Shlomo Alegra.)
Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation Ayoub Kara, an Israeli of Druze ethnicity celebrated both Passover and the Druze holiday commemorating the Biblical prophet Jethro, whom they call Nabi Shu'ayb. Minister Kara praised the Jewish community of Hebron stating, "without you, the rest of us wouldn't be able to visit here today. You strengthen the security of Israel. We will continue together to protect the State of Israel for generations."
Minister Kara also spoke in Arabic and addressed the Arab resident of the city who fall under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. "Israel is a democracy," Minister Kara stated. "The Palestinian Authority does not offer you any salvation. We are all in this together, and we can learn to live in peace. Only under Israeli sovereignty will your rights and your lives be insured. Without Israel there is ISIS."
Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan echoed the growing sentiment in the Israeli public for sovereignty stating, "today, after 50 years, we need to move up another level. We have been liberated from the yoke of foreigners, but now we must connect Judea and Samaria to the rest of Israel and establish sovereignty over all the areas, starting right here with Hebron."
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked stated, “I am certain that in this city Jews are going to continue to live, as the saying goes ‘from antiquity to eternity.’ This spirit, which brought you to settle in the City of our Fathers inspired others to climb other hilltops and raise their new communities… and this same spirit will lead us, your representatives in the Knesset and government, to give you support, to fulfill your great vision — the vision of settling the land.”
Members of Knesset from a variety of different political parties including MK Bezalel Smotrich, MK Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli, MK Nissan Slomiansky, MK Moti Yogev and others.
Hebron residents who spoke included CEO of the Jewish Community of Hebron Uri Karzen, and spokesperson Noam Arnon. Other speakers included the CEO of the Council of Judea and Samaria Sheila Adler and Rabbi Menachem Felix who led the effort to repatriate Judea and Samaria in the 1970s.
(Photo: Festive services inside the Tomb of Machepla complex, built by King Herod the Great 2,000 years ago.)
Following the jubilee ceremony was the annual music concert. Performers included Haim Israel, Itzik Dadya, Udi Davidi, Bini Landau, Uziah Tzadok, Gershon Freishtat, Pirchei Yerushalayim, and more.
A highlight for many of the thousands of visitors was the rare ability to walk through the hall of Rebecca and Isaac, the largest room on the Tomb of Machpela complex and location of the entrance to the actual underground double caves. The hall is closed for Jews most of the year except for ten days. The smaller Jewish side of the complex is closed for Muslims expect for ten days corresponding to Muslim holidays.
Also open for visitors was the Cave of Othniel Ben Knaz, the first judge of Israel who took over leadership after the passing of Joshua, located about 200 meters west of Beit Hadassah, at the top of a rocky incline. The burial cave is located in what is today known toward as Policeman's Square on a busy residential street. The carved out compartments in the sides of the cave correspond with how the Mishna, in Bava Batra 101 describes the traditional burial practices of the Jewish people of that time period.
Throughout the generations, it has been revered as the tomb of Othniel Ben Knaz, brother (kinsman) of Caleb and has been mentioned by many historic travelers such as Menachem Mendel of Kamenitz and J. J. Benjamin.On the day of the festival, hundreds walked to the cave, which before the 1929 massacre, was part of the thriving Jewish neighborhood of the city.
The local Judea Brigade Commander who helped arrange the visit was quoted by Israel National News as stating, "For me personally, it was inspiring to see the hundreds of visitors, citizens together with tourists from abroad, on a secure trip to the tomb of Othniel ben Kenaz. We are proud to have escorted this visit."
Special tours to the old Jewish Quarter including the "Kabbalist's Corner" were held. Today the area is a busy casbah, and is usually off limits to Israeli civilians. Other highlights included tours of the new archaeological excavations near the Tomb of Ruth and Jesse which includes ancient olive presses and mikvot [ritual baths] and the new state-of-the-art 4D documentary movie at the Beit Hadassah museum of Hebron history.
Kosher-for-Passover food, locally made arts and crafts and children's activities were on hand as well.
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