Thousands came to Hebron to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover. Unlike in previous years, the festivities were scaled down due to Operation Swords of Iron with musicians stationed at street corners rather then a large stage for a big concert.
Family-friendly activities, arts and crafts and music took place during the week-long Festival of Freedom which marks the Israelite Exodus from Egypt.
The annual Vatikin hallel prayers at dawn took place and included a special prayers for thanksgiving, for the return of the hostages and for the Israel Defense Forces. The prayer service, which included musical instruments, was led by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, chief rabbi of Tzfat, Rabbi Uriel Saeed, head of the Mayanot Movement of Kiryiat Ono with the participation of Amitai Cohen, chairman of the Kiryat Arba religious council.
The Hall of Isaac and Rebecca, the largest part of the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs was open for Jewish prayer services for two days on chol hamoed. This hall includes the entrance to the underground Cave of Machpela.
Special tours of historic sites in Hebron included the Tel Hevron archeological park, and the Touching Eternity museum in Beit Hadassah. Two sites that are usually restricted were accessible on Passover: the Casbah, formerly the Jewish quarter of Hebron and the cave of Othniel Ben Knaz, an ancient burial site.
Dr. Noam Arnon, long-time spokesman for the Jewish community of Hebron told Israel National News that although the large concert was missed, the feeling of connection with the Bible was a strong as always. “The first Jewish site in the world is here. It’s the Cave of our Patriarchs & Matriarchs — Maara HaMachpela,” he stated. “Jewish history begins here and continues here. And when you come here, you see this huge monument from the Second Temple period. This is the real thing.”
“You know, ‘Hevron’ in Hebrew means ‘connection’,” he explained. “You come to get connected in Hebron. So when you pray here, you feel the fathers and the mothers are here with us and they somehow feel what we feel. And they beg and they pray for the sons and daughters that will come again — leShavu Banim l’gvulam – ‘your sons, your daughters shall return to their borders.”
