‘Because It’s Ours’ – Tent City Rises in Hebron on Shabbat Chaye Sarah (Video)
Latest update: November 12th, 2012
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Hebron Tent City on Shabbat Chaye Sarah
Photo Credit: David Wilder
Shabbat Chaye Sarah in Hebron isn’t a normal Shabbat. It’s an experience.
Yesterday, according to conservative estimates, over 20,000 people visited this holy city. Here in our offices, this event began weeks ago; planning for the multitudes. Many man hours and much money are invested to ensure that the day will be a success. And as much as we want, and need rain, we sort of hope that this day will remain dry.
My Chaye Sarah began on Friday, wandering around, hoping to get some good photos. Being that the main events are on Shabbat, I have no way to photograph the occasion. (That’s really my only regret about this wonderful day.)
Toward early mid-afternoon the tents start popping up on the lawn in the park across from the Cave of Machpela. Men, women, kids of all ages, can be found camping out. I spoke to people who’d come from Netanya and Akko to sleep in a tent on the ground because “this is the city of the Patriarchs. It’s ours.” On Friday night, walking back from amazing evening prayers at Machpela, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Families pitched tents on the road, between parked cars and opened up small tables from which to enjoy their Shabbat meal. Young children, swathed in winter jackets, sat around such tables, eating, singing and enjoying the festivity.
Evening prayers are unbelievable. Various minions – prayer services – spring up on the lawn outside, in the courtyard, and inside the building. Thousands upon thousands descend on Herod’s 2,000 year old structure to offer Shabbat prayers. These worship services include song and dance, true joy. More than one group includes dozens of people who have flown into Israel from the United States and Europe, for 48 hours, to participate in this massive celebration. It is indescribable.
During meals, huge tents were filled to capacity. People hosted, some more, some less. In my apartment, aside from filling our bedrooms (in one, three older married women slept together), our living room floor contained four guys and the couch bedded my friend Moshe Goldshmid, whose family has been coming to us for about 14 years for this Shabbat. Moshe’s grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Goldshmid, was murdered in Hebron during the 1929 riots. For meals, another visiting family joined us.
Others hosted literally dozens, eating in shifts (and maybe sleeping in shifts too). After evening meals many participated in political panel discussions, including numerous Israeli MKs, ministers and Rabbis. Visitors toured all day and all night. Saturday afternoon my friend Noam Arnon led a huge tour in the Casba. Simcha Hochbaum guided a huge group throughout the Jewish neighborhoods. I had two tours of the Tel Rumeida neighborhood, showing the uninitiated the wonders of ancient-new Hebron.
I must also mention: Friday afternoon we dedicated a memorial room to our dear friend, Herb Zweibon, founder and director of AFSI, Americans for a Safe Israel. Herb was a genuine friend of Israel, and especially of Hebron’s Jewish community. AFSI’s executive director, Helen Freedman led a group of about 25 friends from the US for a week-long visit in Israel, and to Hebron for this Shabbat. We all gathered at the new “Zweibon Hall,” at the entrance to the ‘Hezkiah neighborhood,” here in Hebron to dedicate this room in Herb’s memory.
Late Saturday afternoon I participated in the ‘3rd meal’ with our friends attending via Hebron’s US branch, the Hebron Fund. The fund’s new director, Rabbi Dan Rosenstein, asked me to speak with the group for a few minutes. I asked them to take their “Hebron Shabbat High’ back home, to convey it to others, and to be ambassadors for Hebron’s Jewish community, getting the word out, letting other know what Hebron is really all about. They are all, as much as we are, ‘keepers of the keys,’ insuring Hebron’s Jewish future forever.
By the time Shabbat ended, everyone was exhausted, but the day hadn’t yet concluded. I sat with my AFSI friend in our Beit Hadassah apartment, answering questions and discussing various issues common to all of us for about an hour. Only later did I have the luxury to collapse.
tell a friendAbout the Author: David Wilder is the spokesperson for the Hebron Community and a regular contributor to Tazpit News Agency.
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The Hebron Jewish community needs to seriously consider what it would take to promote a good image so that they could insure Hebron's Jewish future forever.
This community does not enjoy a good reputation in the world or even in Israel.
Other than an indirect reference that mentions one of the victims of the 1929 Arab massacre of Jews in Hebron, your article does not mention the Arab residents of Hebron at all.
In an other article about Hebron a reader suggested a memorial for the Arabs that hid and saved the lives of Jews during that massacre.
I think this would be a good idea.
But I also think that those in the Hebron Jewish community that praise instead of condemn Dr. Baruch Goldstein need to reconsider. At least 97% of Israeli Jews strongly disagree with his fans.
I don't expect that gestures to the Arab majority of Hebron will make them your allies. I expect that those who throw stones at you would still continue, and I think you need to be able to defend yourselves from any violence.
But even those who are delighted with the existence of your community, and who venerate the thousands year old Jewish Holy Tomb of the Patriarchs, such as myself, are truly ashamed at Dr. Baruch Goldstein and need to be able to say he is not the voice of Jewish Hebron.
There is no magic wand to change the hostility of Arab residents of Hebron. You can not magically persuade them to move to Chile or Australia.
If two state solution proponents had been, or G-d forbid will be, more persuasive and successful it is almost certain that Hebron would not or will not be included in Israel.
As unlikely as this seems now, a case needs to be made to demand that your community be allowed to remain in such a scenario. The non-repudiation of Goldstein makes that unlikely concession almost impossible.
Some of the other scenarios are a one state solution or the continuation of the status quo.
In either of these cases the Hebron Jewish community needs to have continued support from the Israeli Jewish majority.
Attacks on Israeli soldiers and support for price tag fanatics among other acts that have repelled public opinion need to be repudiated in a clear voice.
I think that we forget the miracle in our lifetime – the rebirth of the State of Israel. It is when you read the torah portion you realize the significance of Hebron. We visited Hebron a couple of years ago and met with David Wilder. He and his courageous followers are protecting this Jewish heritage for all of us. It is hard to imagine people who would be prepared to give this to the Palestinians and not have access for Jews.
The Hebron Jewish community needs to seriously consider what it would take to promote a good image so that they could insure Hebron’s Jewish future forever.
This community does not enjoy a good reputation in the world or even in Israel.
Other than an indirect reference that mentions one of the victims of the 1929 Arab massacre of Jews in Hebron, your article does not mention the Arab residents of Hebron at all.
In an other article about Hebron a reader suggested a memorial for the Arabs that hid and saved the lives of Jews during that massacre.
I think this would be a good idea.
But I also think that those in the Hebron Jewish community that praise instead of condemn Dr. Baruch Goldstein need to reconsider. At least 97% of Israeli Jews strongly disagree with his fans.
I don’t expect that gestures to the Arab majority of Hebron will make them your allies. I expect that those who throw stones at you would still continue, and I think you need to be able to defend yourselves from any violence.
But even those who are delighted with the existence of your community, and who venerate the thousands year old Jewish Holy Tomb of the Patriarchs, such as myself, are truly ashamed at Dr. Baruch Goldstein and need to be able to say he is not the voice of Jewish Hebron.
There is no magic wand to change the hostility of Arab residents of Hebron. You can not magically persuade them to move to Chile or Australia.
If two state solution proponents had been, or G-d forbid will be, more persuasive and successful it is almost certain that Hebron would not or will not be included in Israel.
As unlikely as this seems now, a case needs to be made to demand that your community be allowed to remain in such a scenario. The non-repudiation of Goldstein makes that unlikely concession almost impossible.
Some of the other scenarios are a one state solution or the continuation of the status quo.
In either of these cases the Hebron Jewish community needs to have continued support from the Israeli Jewish majority.
Attacks on Israeli soldiers and support for price tag fanatics among other acts that have repelled public opinion need to be repudiated in a clear voice.
I think that we forget the miracle in our lifetime – the rebirth of the State of Israel. It is when you read the torah portion you realize the significance of Hebron. We visited Hebron a couple of years ago and met with David Wilder. He and his courageous followers are protecting this Jewish heritage for all of us. It is hard to imagine people who would be prepared to give this to the Palestinians and not have access for Jews.