This past weekend we read parshat chayei sara. In America there is no real celebration or significant happening that shows our appreciation for the fact that our patriach avrohom bought this land from efron in chevron. Yes we talk about the fact that efron offered it to avrohom for nothing but avrohom insisted that he pay. Efron accepted the money and avrohom buried Sara. Aside from that we kind of just ignore the fact that Jews should outright claim the area and should not have to share the site. Furthermore the restriction of Jews not being allowed into the main room for majority of the year is appalling. I won't blog on politics but this past weekend I had the privilege of going to chevron for this Shabbat. The Israeli citizens celebrate this by going en masse. There are no hotels there, and no kosher restaurants to take out food. The Jews (15,000) just come with camping gear and set up tents. So as you can imagine I was dead set against going. However my husband promised me no tents and we would be eating catered food. OK so food and sleeping arrangements were made. However, I am very vigilant in not going to unsafe places. Chevron has a population of 200,000 Arabs. There are 91 Jewish families scattered within one neighborhood. The closest Jewish city is kiriyat arba. That has population of 10,000 Jews. This city is ten minute walk from chevron. Which still makes it not so safe..my husband and others promised me that it's the safest Shabbat I'll ever have. I can attest to that now. There was at least a soldier every 5 feet when walking from kiriyat arba (where we slept) to chevron where we ate. In chevron itself there were at least 5_10 soldiers every couple of feet. In fact what was so comical was my son saying Shabbat shalom and toda rabba to each one... at times he didn't stop..... I was also told that on this Shabbat the Arabs have movement restrictions. Additionally they are not allowed to go into the marat hamechpala the whole Shabbat. So yes in the end I did feel safe.
I can not describe the feeling of eating in the chevron "simcha hall" while looking out the window and seeing this mammoth building of the marat machepela that sits on the land that we know avrohom bought and knowing that all of our forefathers and mothers are right there. What a privilege as my husband made kidush I suddenly felt connected to my religion. I also felt very privileged to be eating inside with 300 or so others, as opposed to out in a tent :-)
The Friday night meal was beautiful there were many soldiers who quickly came and ate with us. Many Kennest members add high ranking sergeants, colonels and police officers. Who have thousands of soldiers and police officers underneath them ate with us as well.The clincher for me at this meal came when I started to speak to the other family at our table. The wife told me she comes every year. She stays with her cousin who lives in chevron. My immediate question was...isn't she terrified?????!!! Her response to me " no the Arabs are scared of her" I saw the cousin who sat at the next table. she didn't look scarier than anyone else that I know. Just a regular person who is raising her family in a very special place. Without her family and the 90 others we the Jews would surely not have this part of Israel. What a higher goal!!!! Shabbat after noon we did a walking tour of the Avraham avinu neighbourhood with simcha hochbaum. Was truly amazing...the past 10 years of history there were many terrorist attacks in chevron. Simcha took us to couple of these place. One was where a mother was walking her child in a stroller in the city street in broad daylight.her child was shot to death by a sharpshooter. After this tragedy this family didn't leave but stayed and had more kids. There refusal to move out is meant to she strength and courage will not deter!!! There was another sad and similar story where a husband and wife were brutally murdered in the street by a walking Arab man with a bomb in his shirt. They noticed him walking towards the children's park and wrestled him to the ground. Killing only themselves and saving many children. One more tragic story was a man who was stabbed to death in his home. The wife vowed not to leave chevron instead she asked that a building be built so that young men can come learn. Now there is a vibrant yeshiva in her backyard. One can only look up to these people who show such determination to live for a higher goal. While it was an awesome feeling to be there for the entire shabbat, the lesson I walked away with was the following. We live our lives with a goal in mind to be good and kind people, to be good parents, however somehow a real sacrifice for religion tendsto get lost. While yes I admit before this Shabbat I thought to myself... wow I'm living in the holy land, God must think I'm really great..she really gave up a lot to be here In my land. But this weekend that changed. Instead I think now those people living in chevron and kiriyat arba, although somewhat insane , really are sacrificing for their religion. What a higher standard of living!!! What can I /you say we sacrifice for our religion that can equate to the Jewish residents of chevron and kiriyat arba? is there any???
