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80 Years After The Massacre, American Jews Experience The Resettlement Of Hevron BY SAMUEL SOKOL On August 24, 1929, the Arabs of Hevron rioted and the British mandatory authorities expelled the Jews, effectively handing over all Jewish property to the Arabs. It was in the Bet Romano building, owned by Chabad and used by the British as a police station, that the surviving inhabitants of Hevron came for shelter before being evicted from their city. Today, Bet Romano is the home of Yeshiva Shavei Hevron and plays host to Jews who have come to visit, rather than to flee. According to Dovi Weiss, the director of Shavei Hevron Institutions, “About 300 students, 60 of whom are married students (avrechim) learn today on a daily basis in Hevron with exemplary self-sacrifice. Another 150 students are presently fulfilling their obligation to do army service.” Shavei Hevron Institutions is a major player in efforts to maintain a Jewish presence in the city. As part of its reclamation project, the yeshiva has recently begun planning the reconstruction of the house of Rav Haim Hizkiyahu Medini, located adjacent to Bet Romano. Rav Medini was the author of the Talmudic encyclopedia Sde Hemed and served as the chief rabbi of Hevron. Over the Shabbat of parashat Chayei Sarah, as thousands of Jews from all over Israel came to celebrate the lives of the patriarchs, Jews from all over the Diaspora also arrived, to strengthen the connection between the Jewish people and this very special city. Judy and Shimon Kalatzky of Lawrence were among those who shed the material comforts of life in America to spend a Shabbos in a dorm room at Bet Romano in the heart of Hevron. The yeshiva hosted many such couples, from New York, Chicago, Australia, and London, showcasing for them the mesirut nefesh of the Torah pioneers of Hevron. “The people were just so happy to be there,” said Mrs. Kalatzky, “People were really carried away with it.” One participant e-mailed the yeshiva thanking them for such a unique experience. “I wanted to thank you for the wonderful hospitality and warmth we have received from you and the whole yeshiva. I was very touched by the whole Shabbos and wanted to thank you for making our stay so elevated.” One of the reasons for the high level of excitement was the opening of the section of Maarat Hamachpelah in which Yitzchak Avinu is buried. The site is usually reserved exclusively for

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Resettlement Of Hevron Continued from Page 43 Muslim worshippers. The reason behind barring Jews from their holy site while allowing Muslims access is unclear. Israel is quick to claim that all religions have equal access to holy sites under its administration. On Shabbos, Colonel Udi, the Commanding General in Hevron, came to the yeshiva and addressed the guests and the yeshiva boys during seudah shlishit. He referred to the teachings of the Or HaChaim HaKadosh with regards to the words of Avraham Avinu, “Geir v’toshav Anochi imachem” The inhabitants responded, “Nasi Elokim atah b’tocheinu.” Avraham Avinu is really like a president, as only a person who is totally convinced in the correctness of his path can make such a declaration, as he does not feel threatened. Colonel Udi also spoke about the yeshiva and the fact that its students serve in the army and make a worthy contribution by serving in select units and also in various high offices. He further emphasized that the Israel Defense Forces as well as the State of Israel view the yeshiva in a positive light. Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman, who was present during the Colonel’s speech, commented that he could be one of the rabbis at the yeshiva. Hevron was in the news recently in the United States when anti-Zionist groups called on the New York Mets to ban a Hevron organization from using the team’s facilities for their annual fundraising dinner at Citi Field. In a reversal of history, the anti-Zionists claimed that the settlers of Hevron, including the student body of Shavei Hevron are “taking over Hevron’s Old City in violation of international law, and driving out the Palestinian residents.” Among the organizations protesting the Jewish presence in Hevron was the American branch of the Israeli-Arab Adalah organization, which called on the Mets to “say no to settler terror.” Despite Arab protests, American Jews have not been deterred from their support of the renewed Jewish community of Hevron or of Shavei Hevron. Judy Kalatzky was effusive in her praise of the Hevron settlers. “They’re living and breathing and protecting Eretz Yisrael so we could have Eretz Yisrael. Here we are in America…and the least we can do is support yeshivas in Hevron. These boys, it is such mesirus nefesh. They live with nothing, they sleep in barely anything, and they’re happy. The people who live there are honored and they feel that it’s a privilege.” ❖

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