History of Hebron – A Time Line

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- Staff
29/11/2015

1735 BCE Abraham comes to the Land of Israel and settles in Hebron.

1675 BCE Abraham purchases the Tomb of Machpela (Patriarch and Matriarch)

1250 BCE Joshua leads Tribes of Israel. Caleb liberates Hebron.

1007 BCE David is anointed king in Hebron.

587 BCE 1st Temple destroyed, Edomites settle Hebron area.

445 BCE Return to Zion.

164 BCE Hasmonean Revolt. Judah Maccabee liberates Hebron.

30 BCE Construction of enormous edifice over Cave of Machpela by King Herod the Great.

70 CE 2nd Temple, Jerusalem, Hebron attacked.

132 CE Bar Kochba Revolt. Hebron in center of revolt area.

330 CE Byzantine Conquest. Church built over Tomb of Machpela.

4th – 6th century CE Jews continue to pray at Tomb of Machpela and Elonei Mamre.

638 CE Islamic Conquest. Mosque built in the Tomb of Machpela. Jews still pray in Tomb of Machpela synagogue.

10th century CE Arabs build Yusufia (Yosefiyya) attached to Tomb of Machpela.

1100 CE Crusader conquest, Hebron Jews banished. Church built in Tomb of Machpela.

1170 CE Visit by writer and traveler Rabbi Petachia of Ratisbon.

1171 CE Visit by writer and traveler Benjamin of Tudela.

1166 CE Rambam (Maimonides) visits Hebron and prays at Tomb of Machpela.

1260 CE Mamluk Conquest.

1267 CE Jews banned from Tomb of Machpela. Ramban visits Hebron “to acquire a burial site.”

1489 CE Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura sojourns in Hebron.

1517 CE Ottoman Conquest, anti-Jewish riots.

1540 CE Rabbi Malkiel Ashkenazi buys land and builds the Jewish Quarter and the Avraham Avinu Synagogue.

1583 CE Mystics from Tzfat, including the “Reishit Chochmah” Rabbi Eliyahu Di Vidas move to Hebron.

1619 CE Epidemic drives much of community to Gaza for safety.

1648 CE Rabbi Naftali Bachrach publishes Emeq ha-Melekh, describes Avraham Avinu synagogue miracle of Yom Kippur.

1630 CE Decrees against Hebron’s Jews. “The Purim Window Miracle.”

1700 CE Rabbi Gedalia of Semyatich (Siemiatycze) and Rabbi Judah Hasid visit Hebron with large group of Jews.

1744 CE Community leader Rabbi Pinchas Mordechai Bajayo sends shaliach abroad.

1748 CE First Hasidic immigrants arrive. Rabbi Abraham Gershon of Kitov, brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov visits.

1753 CE The “Chidah” Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai goes to Europe as fundraiser on behalf of Hebron’s Jews.

1754 CE Rabbi Raphael Chaim Yitzchak Karigal appointed to be a shliach of Hebron, travels to America.

1799 CE Napoleon’s invasion forces Jews of Gaza to relocate to Hebron.

1807 CE Magen Avot Sephardi Kollel Organization purchases area today known as the wholesale market.

May 1811 CE Rabbi Haim Yeshua Bajayo (Haim Yeshua HaMitzri) buys Tel Hebron on behalf of Hebron’s Jews.

1819 CE Fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe calls on his followers to return to Hebron. Many do so.

1834 CE Ibrahim Pasha Conquest. Jewish community suffers massacre. Earthquake damages Hebron.

1839 CE Sir Moses Montefiore & Lady Montefiore visit Hebron, take census.

1840–1845 CE Second wave of Chabad hasidim arrive including Rabbi Simon Menashe Chaikin & Menucha Rochel Slonim.

1856 CE Rabbi Eliyahu Mani arrives from Baghdad and settles in Hebron.

1869 CE Ben Ish Hai visits Hebron, attempt to buy the Tomb of Machpela.

1876 CE Haim Yisrael Romano builds Beit Romano, Istanbuli Synagogue.

1881 CE The “Charif” Rabbi Chaim Rachamim Yosef Franco becomes Chief Rabbi of Hebron.

1893 CE Ground floor completed of the “Chessed LeAvraham” Health Clinic, later renamed Beit Hadassah.

1901 CE Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini, the “Sdei Chemed” moves to Hebron and is appointed chief rabbi.

1909 CE Yosef Avraham Shalom adds a floor on to the “Chessed LeAvraham” clinic, later renamed Beit Hadassah.

1912 CE The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom Ber Schneerson buys Beit Romano and founds Yeshivat Torat Emet.

1914 CE World War I. Community weakened and impoverished.

1918 CE British conquest.

1925 CE Community recovers. Slobodka Yeshiva (Knesset Yisrael) arrives.

1929 CE Riots. Hebron Massacre. Jews banished, community destroyed.

1931 CE Part of community returns led by Rabbi Haim Bajayo.

1935 CE Gerrer Rebbe visits Hebron, prays on 11th step.

April 23, 1936 CE Hebron Jews banished by British.

1948 CE State of Israel is reborn. Hebron conquered by Jordan. Jewish Quarter and cemetery demolished. Avraham Avinu Synagogue becomes trash heap and animal pen.

1963 CE Prof. Philip C. Hammond begins American Expedition to Hebron, discovers Cyclopean walls at Tel Hebron.

June 8, 1967 CE Hebron liberated, Rabbi Shlomo Goren waves Israeli flag at Tomb of Machpela.

April 1968 CE Jewish residents return. Passover seder at Park Hotel. After five weeks they are moved to the Civil Admin. Bldg. and set up community yeshiva and factories.

Oct. 9, 1968 First person to descend into Cave of Machpela in modern times under the auspices Defense Minister Moshe Dayan.

1969 CE Grenade thrown at Jews by Tomb of Machpela. Dozens wounded. Deputy Prime Minister Yigal Allon announces a Jewish city will soon be built near Hebron.

1971 CE Residents move into Kiryat Arba the new Jewish city adjacent to Hebron.

1975 CE Prof. Ben-Zion Tavger begins to uncover remains of Avraham Avinu Synagogue.

Oct. 15, 1976 CE – Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin and Defense Minister Shimon Peres visit.

1979 CE Women and children enter Beit Hadassah.

Jan. 1980 CE Residents move into Ramat Mamre.

May 1980 CE Six Jews murdered at Beit Hadassah. Govt. decides to renew Hebron community.

May 22, 1981 CE Dedication of renewed Avraham Avinu Synagogue.

1981 CE Team of Jewish residents descend into Cave of Machpela, first excavation in modern times.

1981 CE Following previous descent, Dr. Seev Jevin (Zeev Yavin) of the Israel Antiquities Authority visits before entrance is sealed.

1984 CE Prof. Avi Ofer of Tel Aviv University begins excavations of Tel Hevron.

1984 CE Tel Hebron renewed. Admot Yishai (Tel Rumeida) neighborhood established.

1986 CE Families move into renewed Beit Hadassah.

1989 CE New homes dedicated in the Jewish Quarter.

1990 CE Residents move into Givat Ha’avot neighborhood.

1993 – 1994 CE Wave of terrorist attacks kill and wound dozens. Warnings of escalation.

1994 CE Dr. Baruch Goldstein Tomb of Machpela shooting. 29 dead. Riots. Tomb of Machpela closed for 8 months. TIPH deployed for 6 months.

1995 CE Floors added to Beit Schneerson. Nachum Hoss and Yehuda Partush murdered.

1997 CE Hebron Accords divide city. Israel retains 20%. TIPH deployed. Terrorisim increases.

1998 CE Rabbi Shlomo Raanan zt’l murdered in Admot Yishai.

April 1999 CE Emanuel Eisenberg begins Tel Hebron Excavations, King’s Seals found at Tel Hebron.

1999 CE Beit Nachum Veyehuda built in Avraham Avinu neighborhood. Excavations uncover Tel Hebron antiquities.

2000 CE Beit Hashisha built.

2001 CE Oslo War / Second Intifada. Terrorism rampant. Hebron Jews under constant fire. Baby Shalhevet Pass shot from Abu Sneineh Hills.

2002 CE Israeli Defense Forces retake hills surrounding Hebron, finally ending daily shooting attacks, following the murder of five year old Danielle Shefi at Adura community.

2005 CE Beit Menachem building completed and dedicated in Admot Ishai (Tel Rumeida) neighborhood.

2007 CE Hebron community concludes purchase of Beit HaShalom. Jewish families populate 4000 sq meter building on road between Hebron and Kiryat Arba

2008 CE Defense Minister Ehud Barak orders expulsion of Jews from Beit HaShalom after having lived there for 20 months.

2009 CE Jewish community receives official statistics: 500,000 visit Tomb of Machpela in 2009. Less than half that number visit the PA side of the holy site.

2010 CE Israel adds Tomb of Machpela to list of 150 national heritage sites.

2011 CE Education Minister announces plan to bring students on field trips to Hebron.

2013 CE Prime Minister Netanyahu sends letter of support to community for Parshat Chayei Sarah.

2014 CE Emanuel Eisenberg returns with Prof. Shlomo Ben-David to Tel Hebron, ancient mikvot and wine presses discovered.

2015 CE 4D movie Touching Eternity and new Hebron Visitor’s Center at Beit Hadassah unveiled.

2016 CE Hebron community concludes purchase of Beit Rachel and Leah.

January 2017 CE Bus routes expanded for Hebron, Kiryat Arba.

August 2017 CE Jewish Community of Hebron granted independent municipal status.

October 2017 CE First new housing approved for Hebron in almost 15 years.

March 2018 CE Jewish residents return to Beit Rachel & Beit Leah.

October 2018 CE Hezekiah quarter recieves full approval from government.

February 2019 TIPH mandate ends.

January 2020 1 million tourists visit Hebron in record-breaking year.

July 2020 Pottery recovered from inside Cave of Machpela analyzed.

2022 Handicapped access and elevator project begins at Tomb of Machpela

2023 Handicapped access and elevator project completed at Tomb of Machpela

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HEBRON CONTACT INFORMATION

United States contact info:

http://www.hebronfund.org

1760 Ocean Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11230

718-677-6886

info@hebronfund.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hebronofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hebronfund

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewishcommunityofhebron/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hebonisrael

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thehebronfund1

Israeli contact info:

http://en.hebron.org.il/

02-996-5333

office@hebron.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hebron.machpela

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hebronvideo

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