Marking the 200th anniversary of the yartzeit of the Alter Rebbe – Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi who founded the Chabad movement – the Jewish Press’ Yishai Fleisher interviewed one of the special emmissaries who have become the hallmark of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement to talk about the man who started it all, what his passions were, and where Chabad is headed.

Rabbi Danny Cohen is not just one of the hundreds of inspiring, dedicated, courteous and enthusiastic rabbis of Chabad who give themseles in service to the Jewish people across the globe. His is a mission under fire, serving not only his community, but the hundreds of visitors – and soldiers – who descend on his historic city each year, standing as a beacon of stability and spirituality in a place which puts up a daily fight for survival. Rabbi Cohen is the Chabad Rabbi of Hebron.

Listen here for the full interview from the Mittler Rebbe’s/Menucha Rachel’s shul, including how a boy from Brooklyn who became an IDF soldier came to be a Chabad rabbi and Hebron “settler”, as well as the history of Chabad in Hebron.

Fleisher and Rabbi Cohen spoke about the imprisonment of the Alter Rebbe, who was imprisoned for 53 days in Russian prison, to be freed on Yud Tet Kislev.

Rabbi Shneur Zalman was accused by the Russian government of treason for sending money to the Land of Israel, to support Jewish settlement there. At the time, Russia was at war with Turkey, which maintained control of the Holy Land, and Russia accused the Alter Rebbe of sending money to support the Turkish government, which he later proved to the authorities was untrue.

“What’s fascinating is that [supporting the Land of Israel] was the main accusation that brought him to jail in the first place, … and not only doesn’t he say ‘maybe modify that action, maybe tone it down’, being that he was the founder of Chabad and the one that planted and started the whole Chabad philosophy, maybe he would be thinking spiritually this is not what he should be doing, he should be doing something else,” Rabbi Cohen said. “But not only does he not stop and tells his chassidim to continue, but he writes in the Tanya that what saved him from jail and what took him out was the fact that he gave tzedaka to Eretz Yisrael.”

According to Rabbi Cohen, the Alter Rebbe had a great love for the Land of Israel, and considered moving there, but decided to forego the opportunity due to his obligations to his chassidim. “When the Maggid passes away, the Alter Rebbe is appointed as the leader of Chassidim in that area, and even though he had a strong urge and wanted very much to make aliyah, to move to the Land of Israel, being that he was responsible for [Lita], that’s why he stayed there,” Rabbi Cohen said.

Rabbi Cohen credits Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the Baal HaTanya with developing a philosophy by which Jews develop their own personal and unique connections to God. While the great rabbis are charged with teaching and guiding their followers and adherents, “I’m not going to do it for you, this is up to you,” Rabbi Cohen said.

Finishing with a “dvar Torah” – a word of Torah – Rabbi Cohen said: “Two hundred years is definitely a day to be marked, it’s a day of completion… It says that Yaakov Avinu didn’t pass away – the Gemara asks, what do you mean he didn’t pass away, there was a funeral, eulogies. Was that for nothing – no! It means that if his children are alive, he is alive. When 200 years later, you see that Chabad, despite all the obstacles and challenges of recent years and throughout the years… going through communist Russia and going through the fat of America, and the fact that today in a physical way Chabad does not have a Rebbe to go and visit and see, but yet, that it’s just increasing… thousands of people are … going out to the four corners of the earth, 200 years from the Alter Rebbe, and it’s all based on his teachings and his ideas, we know we’re on the right way for [redemption], with G-d’s help.”

Hundreds of articles detailing the real life and passionate fight of the Jewish community of Hebron to maintain their historic and modern claims to the city purchased by the Jewish patriarch Abraham have been published online.

David Wilder, the spokesperson for The Committee of the Jewish Community of Hebron, has made available almost 20 years worth of writings, revealing the personal, local, and national struggle to preserve the Jewish presence in the hotly contested city, sharing the setbacks, successes, heartbreak and hope – and most of all, the unswerving determination of the Hebron faithful.

Wilder, who has lived for the past 30 years in Hebron and neighboring Kiryat Arba, was born in New Jersey, and speaks around the world on behalf of Hebron, raising funds to develop the community and welcome guests who come to visit the Tomb of the Patriarchs – resting place of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah – and the Tomb of Ruth and Jesse.

On Monday, the State informed the Israeli Supreme Court of their decision to expel the two Jewish families living in Beit Ezra. The expulsion is due to occur towards the end of April. That is, after the elections. Bibi Netanyahu isn’t interested in photos and videos of Jews being expelled from their homes in Hebron before the elections. It wouldn’t win him any mandates.

Following the 1967Six-Day War, past residents of the Old City in Jerusalem who had been expelled during the 1948War of Independence asked for, and were granted a meeting with then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, to request permission to return to their homes and property in the Old City, confiscated and occupied by Jordan. Dayan consented, and, as a result, Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter today flourishes.

Simultaneously, past Hebron inhabitants, who had been expelled in 1929, and again in 1936, requested a similar meeting with Dayan, in order to return to their homes in the recently liberated city of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. Dayan refused to meet with them.

So I heard, years ago, from Hebron residents, some of whom no longer alive.

The story of Hebron’s Jewish property is a reason for heartache and chagrin. Hebron Jews lost most of their assets in their expulsion by the British following the 1929 riots. As I was told by a survivor of those riots: “My father wrote to the British High Commissioner and asked why the victims had been punished – why the Jews were expelled after being slaughtered. His answer: ‘I knew you couldn’t continue living together and being that there were more Arabs than Jews it was easier to expel the Jews.’”

The untainted authenticity of Jewish land ownership in Hebron is indisputable. The “Jewish Quarter,” presently known as the Avraham Avinu neighborhood, was originally populated by Karites some 1,000 years ago. This land was purchased from them by Rabbi Malchiel Ashkenazi, himself exiled to Turkey from Spain in 1492. In 1540 he bought that area from the Karites and moved, with a small community, to Hebron. This neighborhood existed until the 1929 riots, massacre and exile.

Five dunam (1.235 acres) of land adjacent to this place was purchased by Rabbi Chaim Bajaiyo for the community in 1807, from the Kashkol family in Hebron. This, too, remained in Jewish hands until 1929. In the early 1960s, this property was taken over and occupied by Hebron merchants, who built a retail and wholesale market at the site.

Yosef Ezra is a ninth generation Hebronite. He and his father, Ya’akov Ezra, were the last Jews to leave Hebron, after the Nov. 29, 1947 UN decision to partition Eretz Israel. His father, who worked closely with Arabs, produced cheese and other dairy products. He worked in Hebron during the week and spent Shabbat with his family in Jerusalem, until November, 1947, when Hebron’s Arabs told him not to return to this holy city.

The Ezra property, within the boundaries of these two areas, was stolen, according to Yossi Ezra, by the Awawi family, who had worked with his father. Then 15, Yosef Ezra still remembers this family, who worked for his father, grazing sheep.

Presently, there is no doubt whatsoever that this is Jewish land, and that there are no real, justifiable, legal Arab claims on this property. However, the State Attorney General’s office has decided that Arabs who lived on this land which they had stolen from Jews have “protected resident status” and refuses to allow Hebron’s Jewish community to utilize the property. This despite a ruling by an Israeli military judicial panel of three judges which concluded that there is a firm legal basis to allow the Hebron Jewish Community to use the land.

The state’s decision expressed the possibility that the property will be made available to Hebron’s Jewish community, after the families have been expelled.

We’ve been through this before. Back in January, 2006 the Israeli government made a similar promise, whereby, after the voluntary exit of homes in “Mitzpe Shalhevet,” other families would be allowed back in, with full permission and government permits. This offer was made with the knowledge and consent of the defense and prime ministers. After all the families had moved out, Attorney General Manny Mazuz killed the deal. We were left with nothing.

Yesterday morning I awoke to a cute headline in the NRG-Maariv news site. It read “Hebron Arabs: If Israeli Soldiers Return – We’ll Beat Them Up Again.”

Last week, an IDF patrol in Hebron, just past a checkpoint dividing two parts of the city, spotted a uniformed “Palestinian policeman” in an area where he shouldn’t have been. While attempting to arrest him, they were attacked by an Arab mob. Despite the fact that their lives were in danger, rather than shoot or use hand grenades against the attackers, the soldiers took cover inside a butcher store, threw potatoes at the Arabs, and finally ran for their lives.

A similar event occurred a few days later, up north, in Shechem. Anonymous IDF commanders, uncomfortable with the situation, explained that the “rules of engagement” are very complex and soldiers are too highly restricted in the measures they may use, even to defend themselves.

Seeing the headline, I mentioned to several of my friends that this Arab chutzpah cannot go unanswered. Arabs, exclaiming that they will “beat up” Jewish-Israeli soldiers, must be answered, in the harshest of terms.

Last night they received an answer.

There is one main road leading from Kiryat Arba into Hebron. At the bottom of the winding, hilly road, is a right turn, to Ma’arat HaMachpela (Cave of the Patriarchs) and Hebron’s Jewish community. To the left is a checkpoint, manned by Israeli border police. Last night, at about 7:30, during a routine check, a 17 year old Arab man attacked a border policeman, knocking him down to the ground, and then he pulled out a pistol, placing it on the fallen man’s temple. A second officer, a border policewoman, present at the site, seeing the events transpiring, loaded her gun and, without hesitating, shot the Arab terrorist three times, killing him.

It later turned out that the Arab’s gun was a fake, toy pistol. However, made out of black metal, it certainly looked like the real thing. The woman border guard did exactly what she had to, and thank God for that. A partial response to the Arabs quoted at the beginning of this article. The Arabs play for keeps. But so do we.

Seeing Israeli soldiers run from marauding, rioting Arabs is a disgrace. Hearing a policewoman say, “I did what I was taught to do, I was only doing my job,” is a Kiddush HaShem, a sanctification of God’s name.

For two thousand years, in exile from our land, Jews had no choice but to run. Today, we must stand strong and tall, as did the Maccabees, 2,300 years ago, thereby bequeathing us Hanukkah.

The holiday of lights, as Chanukah is called, takes on many expressions and variations. For example: A few days ago we marked the 21st anniversary of the passing of a friend and fellow Hebron resident Yona Heiken. Yona was a fascinating man, whom I remember well, showing me his original IBM computer, which cost, probably close to 30 years ago, more than $10,000. Yona and Malka made Aliyah, that is, they came to live in Israel, from the U.S., directly to Hebron. That was quite a move, and Malka has been here ever since. Yona survived a critical injury, after being stabbed in the back by an Arab terrorist in the Kasba. He ran after the terrorist, shooting until he finally hit him, and then, somehow, made his way back to Beit Hadassah, where he collapsed. A real close call. But a few years later he fell to cancer, leaving Malka and their large family here in Hebron.

Every year, at the memorial event, Malka finds interesting people to speak about various subjects. This year, her in-laws provided the evening’s attraction. Avigdor Sharon, among other things, produces wine. He spoke about the process, and brought several different wines to taste. They were very good.

As interesting as he was, his wife, Adi, was, in my opinion, the highlight. She has written several books, including a true story about her mother, who escaped from Rumania with her siblings in World War 2. Finally boarding an overcrowded boat to Israel, they made it as far as Haifa, where the British, refusing to allow them into Israel, sent them to Cypress for a year. At age 17, she finally made it to Israel, fulfilling her dream. Here, she found herself at Kibbutz Yavneh, working as a lookout in a tower, all by herself, night after night. Armed with a World War 2 “Czech” rifle (the 7.92 mm Mauser), she was told to watch for Egyptian airplanes trying to get to Tel Aviv. And if she saw a plane? She was to shoot it down.

One night, suddenly, she heard a buzz in the heavens above. She froze, searching the sky. And then, there it was, an Egyptian plane, flying low, above her. What to do? She raised the “Czech” rifle, pulled the trigger and shot, straight into the plane, which plummeted to the ground. A young refugee woman from Rumania shot down an enemy war plane, with a rifle, all by herself. If this isn’t heroism, I don’t know what is.

This is the same heroism displayed by the young border policewoman who shot and killed a terrorist last night in Hebron. This is the legacy of our ancestors, Mattityahu, Yehuda, and all the others, who fought, against all odds, and won.

As I write this, another group of heroes are celebrating these happy days. Hebron’s children are being treated to a Chanukah play, complete with games, riddles, prizes, and of course, sufganyot, the traditional Chanukah jelly donut. Seeing these joyous children in Hebron is a realization that the dream which began almost 4,000 years ago, here, in Hebron, has borne much fruit, which we have observed over the centuries and are privileged to witness here today.

Chodesh tov – Happy New Month, and Chanukah Sameach – Happy Chanukah!

The confrontation between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian policemen last week in Hebron has left its mark on the city’s Arab residents. “If Israel tries to enter our territory again and make trouble for us, we promise to give them trouble in return,” young men in Hebron told Maariv reporter Assaf Gibor, adding: “We have a Palestinian state and we have Palestinian policemen.”

The confrontation last Thursday broke out when soldiers attempting to arrest a Palestinian policeman entered the Arab H-2 zone and ran into Palestinian policemen who refused to hand over their colleague to the army. In the ensuing confrontation, one Palestinian policemen hit an Israeli soldier in the face with his fist, and the event developed into a real brawl. The inspection area where the soldiers retreated is still covered with the pile of stones thrown at the soldiers.

Standing in front of a cauldron of hot oil waiting for falafel balls to be dropped into it, Amar Abu Jihad, 25, was arguing with a man ten years older. “The Palestinian police showed the Israeli soldiers that we have a state,” Amar said angrily, adding: “They came in here without prior approval from the PA, and the police showed them what’s what.”

But the older man, Yusuf, waved off Amar’s argument. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, what kind of state do you have, without borders, with checkpoints and soldiers on all sides.”

Another friend intervened: “The Palestinian policemen proved that our state does have a border, and the Israeli occupiers can’t walk in here whenever they want, because if they will – they will be beaten up.”

But despite their insistence, the two younger men couldn’t to persuade the older Yusuf, who insisted: “For every one rifle that Palestinian police has, Israel has 20.”

“But you saw how the Israeli soldiers fled from here,” Abu Jihad made the conclusive argument.”You saw wow Palestinian police beat them up, and then we threw stones at them. Israel will not come back here again.”

Abu Jihad also referred to the results of Operation Pillar of Defense: “Look at what happened in Gaza, how Hamas defeated the Israeli army, and Tel Aviv received missiles on the head. Where was Israel’s Iron Dome? We have a strong Palestinian state.”

Yusuf, however, was not convinced, Assaf Gibor reported. “Stop, stop dreaming already,” he said. “There is no Palestinian state and no watermelons (an Arabic expression meaning ‘nothing’).”

In response, the two friends shouted: “You are the dreamer, you are the sleeper, wake up. There is a Palestinian state, and there are Palestinian policemen.”

At least 20,000 Jews from all across Israel, and some coming in from around the world, converged on the biblical city of Hebron this shabbat to honor the memory of the Matriarch Sarah, whose burial in the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron – Maarat HaMachpela – was chronicled in this week’s Torah portion.

Considered the first piece of land purchased by the Patriarch Abraham in the land of Israel, Sarah’s burial place later became the final resting place of her son Isaac and his wife Rivka, and her grandson Jacob and his wife Leah.  Jewish tradition teaches that the Tomb of the Patriarchs is also the burial place of Adam and Chava (Eve), and even Moshe and Tzipporah.  It is also believed to be situated at the entrance to the Garden of Eden.

Despite threats of inclement weather, today’s descendants of Sarah arrived en masse in Hebron and Kiryat Arba, and were hosted by local residents.  They also participated in tours, two political panels, open houses, and the dedication of a community hall.  Videos from the events can be viewed at www.hebronvideo.com.

Abraham’s legacy, still alive and well, is the crux of our existence, not only in Hebron, but as a people, in Israel and around the world.

A few years ago, following one of his last visits to Me’arat Hamachpela, the Cave of the Patriarchs, as Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu entered his car, the other door opened and two people literally pushed their way into the vehicle, one civilian, the other in uniform.

The civilian, a senior employee at the holy site, said, “Rabbi, I’m sorry to do this, but this man, a border police officer, works here very hard and greatly helps the Jewish people. He has a problem. He and his wife have been married many years and have yet to be blessed with children.”

Rabbi Eliyahu looked at the man and responded, “He should continue to help the Jewish people and next year he will be witness to salvation.”

A year later his daughter Miriam was born. The border police officer’s name is Shuchralla Morav.

Much has been written about Hebron’s relationship with security forces, be it police or IDF. As much as we say about our good, positive relationships with them, we are unfortunately generally not believed.

The roots of our national essence, in Hebron, begins with Abraham and Sarah. They were known as people of chesed, that is, overwhelming loving-kindness and generosity. Our sages have taught that we must express the attributes of our Creator: as He is kind, so too we must be kind. The primary examples of kindness are Abraham and Sarah.

Abraham’s compassion was not limited to “his own.” Numerous stories are told of his assistance to strangers, many of whom worshiped idols, the very antithesis of his life and ideology. Yet this did not prevent him from offering them food, drink and a place to sleep.

The present Jewish community of Hebron tries to continue walking in the footsteps of our illustrious Forefathers, learning from their deeds, and acting accordingly. Therefore, when Rabbi Shalom Alkobi, then director of the Machpela authority, realized he had an opportunity to seek a blessing from one of our generation’s most righteous people, he did so, without thinking twice.

And the rabbi’s blessing was received and came to pass.

Morav, as he is called, served at Me’arat Hamachpela for 17 years. Living in the north, several hours from Hebron, he wasn’t able to spend enough time with his wife and young daughter. Recently he was transferred to a position much closer to his home, allowing him to enjoy his blessings.

But, after 17 years of service, we couldn’t allow him to leave without a proper parting. So a few days ago, a large group from Hebron, as well as a few of his former commanders, surprised Morav at his home for a farewell party. All facets of Hebron’s community were represented: Rabbi Hillel Horowitz and Noam Arnon, Baruch Marzel, Rabbi Shalom Alkobi, and others.

The celebration began with a number of speeches recognizing Morav’s contribution to dozens of Hebron events, including mass gatherings of tens of thousands of visitors. Everyone present articulated words of gratitude, which was expressed also in several gifts presented to him: an original painting of Me’arat Hamachpela by Hebron artist Shmuel Mushnik, and a certificate of appreciation, signed by all present as well as Hebron’s mayor, Avraham Ben-Yosef, Hebron’s director-general Uri Karzen, and the director of the regional religious council, Yosef Dayan.

How did Morav relate to his years in Hebron? In his words, “It was an honor… the sanctity of the site was above any and all other considerations.”

Shuchralla Morav is not the first and only officer honored by Hebron’s Jewish community. A long list of police , IDF soldiers and officers and commanders are among those who are tangibly appreciated as a result of their tireless efforts to maintain a safe and secure Hebron, allowing hundreds of thousands of people, of all races and religions, to visit Israel’s first Jewish city and holy sites.

Surely, we do not always see eye to eye, but then again, neither do husband and wife always agree. You learn to agree to disagree. However that doesn’t prevent mutual care, respect and love. So too with the courageous men and women whose presence, hard work and shared esteem lead to positive, fruitful relationships which can last for many years.

Tens of vehicles from across Israel set out in single file to show support and solidarity to the residents of the South Hebron Hills on Friday.

Women in Green, a staunchly pro-nationalist group which organized the event said it was meant to protest an occurrence during Sukkot in which they say police dressed up disguised as Arabs, and staged a possible infiltration of the Jewish community of Susiya, entrapping residents who came out to defend the town from an Arab attack.

According to the attorney of the accused, a representative of the Honenu legal rights organization, policemen dressed as Arabs approached the Har Sinai farm, owned by the wife and children of Yair Har-Sinai, who was murdered by Arab terrorists in 2001. Four Jewish men confronted the Arabs, and a fight ensued.  The officers responded with tasers and tear gas, with several more emerging from hiding and arresting three of the men.  The fourth escaped ,but was arrested on Thursday.

According to their attorney, the story’s ending was much better than it could have been – had the armed security guard of Susiya discovered the “Arabs” before the four unarmed Jewish men, someone might have been shot.

Friday’s caravan of vehicles drove from Kiryat Arba, next to the biblical city and home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Hebron, and waved banners saying “You are not alone.

According to the organizers, Jewish communities there have suffered the harassment and provocation of anti-Israel activists for years, who come to the region to protest Jewish life in what they say is the heartland of the Jewish people.

The Benjamin Residents’ Committee, the Samaria Residents’ Committee, and the Komemiyut movement also took part in the event.