(PHOTO: Miriam Levinger and Deputy
Defense Minister Tzipi Hotovely at the 40th anniversary of Beit
Hadassah.)
Defense Minister Tzipi Hotovely at the 40th anniversary of Beit
Hadassah.)
It was 40 years ago this month that a group of women and children entered the
vacant Beit Hadassah building beginning the re-population of the ancient Jewish
community of Hebron. Led by Miriam Levinger, the group was defiant in reopening the
historic structure that once housed a Jewish-run hospital in Hebron that served
people of all faiths in the city.
The event was attended by Mrs. Levinger and other veteran pioneers of Beit Hadassah who
lived in the building without electricity or running water. The event also
commemorated Mrs. Levinger’s husband, the late Rabbi Moshe Levinger who led the movement
to repatriate the Jewish community of Hebron.
vacant Beit Hadassah building beginning the re-population of the ancient Jewish
community of Hebron. Led by Miriam Levinger, the group was defiant in reopening the
historic structure that once housed a Jewish-run hospital in Hebron that served
people of all faiths in the city.
The event was attended by Mrs. Levinger and other veteran pioneers of Beit Hadassah who
lived in the building without electricity or running water. The event also
commemorated Mrs. Levinger’s husband, the late Rabbi Moshe Levinger who led the movement
to repatriate the Jewish community of Hebron.
Also in attendance were Hebron settler pioneers Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Eliezer Waldman,
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely, heads of local community
council, and the children and grandchildren who make up the new generation of the
renewed Hebron and Kiryat Arba communities.
The event was held at Beit HaShalom, a residential structure near the Cave of Machpela
that, like Beit Hadassah, faced a successful but difficult legal battle over
ownership.
Beit Hadassah originally was a medical clinic run by the Hadassah women’s
organization. The building dates back to 1893 and was formerly called the Chesed
L’Avraham clinic, built with funds donated by Jewish communities from North
Africa.
organization. The building dates back to 1893 and was formerly called the Chesed
L’Avraham clinic, built with funds donated by Jewish communities from North
Africa.
It was the site of bloody rioting in the 1929 massacre, where pharmacist
Ben Zion Gershon and others were murdered.
After the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan took over the Judea region, the building became an
Arab school called Al-Dabboia. It sat empty after the 1967 Six Day War when Israel
regained access the areas that became known as the West Bank.
In 1979, Miriam Levinger led a group of women and children to occupy the empty building.
Although legal documents from the Ottoman era attested to Jewish ownership, the
Israeli government was reluctant to rock the boat and allow any deviation from the
status quo.
Ten women and about 40 children camped out in the building for approximately one year.
Israel Defense Forces were stationed at the entrance to barring anyone who left from
re-entering. Guests were banned and husbands and supporters brought food and other
supplies to the gate.
During this time, the government debated incidents such as a pregnant woman, Shoshana
Porath, who refused to leave for treatment unless she was guaranteed the
right to return to Beit Hadassah. Another Cabinet debate revolved around allowing a
teacher to access the building to hold classes.
“[Menachem] Begin and a majority of the Cabinet agreed to Agriculture Minister Ariel
Sharon’s request that two young children be allowed to join their mothers and 40
other children who have been in the building for a week,” the Jewish
Telegraphic Agency reported on May 8, 1979. “But the Cabinet rejected
another proposal by Sharon that a teacher be sent to the building to
conduct classes.”
An article from July of
the same year reported, “the women lay claim to the premises because they
belonged to a Jewish institution 50 years ago… who demand the right to live in
Hebron and to repossess buildings said to have been owned by Jews who were killed or
fled during the Arab uprising in 1929… family reunion was the latest
concession although journalists and other civilians are still banned from the
building.”
It took a deadly terrorist attack outside the building in 1980 to finally force the
government to issue the zoning permits to make their residency permanent. Six
people were killed in a surprise attack in May of 1980 on Friday evening while
supporters recited Shabbat prayers in front of the building.
Ben Zion Gershon and others were murdered.
After the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan took over the Judea region, the building became an
Arab school called Al-Dabboia. It sat empty after the 1967 Six Day War when Israel
regained access the areas that became known as the West Bank.
In 1979, Miriam Levinger led a group of women and children to occupy the empty building.
Although legal documents from the Ottoman era attested to Jewish ownership, the
Israeli government was reluctant to rock the boat and allow any deviation from the
status quo.
Ten women and about 40 children camped out in the building for approximately one year.
Israel Defense Forces were stationed at the entrance to barring anyone who left from
re-entering. Guests were banned and husbands and supporters brought food and other
supplies to the gate.
During this time, the government debated incidents such as a pregnant woman, Shoshana
Porath, who refused to leave for treatment unless she was guaranteed the
right to return to Beit Hadassah. Another Cabinet debate revolved around allowing a
teacher to access the building to hold classes.
“[Menachem] Begin and a majority of the Cabinet agreed to Agriculture Minister Ariel
Sharon’s request that two young children be allowed to join their mothers and 40
other children who have been in the building for a week,” the Jewish
Telegraphic Agency reported on May 8, 1979. “But the Cabinet rejected
another proposal by Sharon that a teacher be sent to the building to
conduct classes.”
An article from July of
the same year reported, “the women lay claim to the premises because they
belonged to a Jewish institution 50 years ago… who demand the right to live in
Hebron and to repossess buildings said to have been owned by Jews who were killed or
fled during the Arab uprising in 1929… family reunion was the latest
concession although journalists and other civilians are still banned from the
building.”
It took a deadly terrorist attack outside the building in 1980 to finally force the
government to issue the zoning permits to make their residency permanent. Six
people were killed in a surprise attack in May of 1980 on Friday evening while
supporters recited Shabbat prayers in front of the building.
One of the terrorists, Tayseer Abu Sneineh, was arrested and convicted
but later released in a prisoner exchange deal. He was elected mayor of the Palestinian
Authority controlled side of Hebron in 2017.
The renovated Beit Hadassah was inaugurated in 1986 and an adjacent residential
structure was completed in 1999, called Beit HaShisha, in memory of the six people
killed in the ambush.
Today, while there is still conflict and controversy in the City of the
Patriarchs, it is a far cry from years ago. Official
government representatives attended the Beit Hadassah anniversary ceremony and
every year, IDF officers partake in official ceremonies in Hebron. It is quite a
change from the days when the Knesset debated whether or not to forcibly evict the
Hebron Jews as illegal squatters.
but later released in a prisoner exchange deal. He was elected mayor of the Palestinian
Authority controlled side of Hebron in 2017.
The renovated Beit Hadassah was inaugurated in 1986 and an adjacent residential
structure was completed in 1999, called Beit HaShisha, in memory of the six people
killed in the ambush.
Today, while there is still conflict and controversy in the City of the
Patriarchs, it is a far cry from years ago. Official
government representatives attended the Beit Hadassah anniversary ceremony and
every year, IDF officers partake in official ceremonies in Hebron. It is quite a
change from the days when the Knesset debated whether or not to forcibly evict the
Hebron Jews as illegal squatters.
Others in attendance at the evening event included Daniella Weiss,
former mayor of Kedumim, former mayor of Kiryat Arba, Malachi Levinger and current mayor
Eliyahu Liebman, who was one of the children who camped out with his mother in Beit
Hadassah.
former mayor of Kedumim, former mayor of Kiryat Arba, Malachi Levinger and current mayor
Eliyahu Liebman, who was one of the children who camped out with his mother in Beit
Hadassah.
Among the speakers was Shlomo Levinger, one of Miriam and Moshe’s
children, who read from a letter written to his father from S. Y. Agnon,
Israel’s first Nobel Prize laureate. He quoted, “future generations will
write in books that you returned the sons to their fathers’ city, expanded the borders
of Israel, and opened an entryway for those who will come after you.”
children, who read from a letter written to his father from S. Y. Agnon,
Israel’s first Nobel Prize laureate. He quoted, “future generations will
write in books that you returned the sons to their fathers’ city, expanded the borders
of Israel, and opened an entryway for those who will come after you.”
Minister Hotovely praised the women including Levinger, Sarah Nachshon,
and the other in attendance for setting an example for the younger generation of
women.
The struggle for Beit Hadassah paved the way for more property confiscated during
the Jordanian era to be returned to Jewish ownership. The building today
boasts residential housing, a synagogue, museum and visitor’s
center.
and the other in attendance for setting an example for the younger generation of
women.
The struggle for Beit Hadassah paved the way for more property confiscated during
the Jordanian era to be returned to Jewish ownership. The building today
boasts residential housing, a synagogue, museum and visitor’s
center.
It also helped prompt construction of housing units in other vacant areas of
Judea and Samaria. Today, the Hebron Jewish community has about 1,000 residents. About
7,500 live in the suburb of Kiryat Arba. Another 7,000 Israelis live in
the dozen communities that dot the Hebron Hills Regional Council.
As of 2019, almost 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and cities over the Green Line,
the border that once divided Israel from Jordan. Combined with Golan Heights and the
eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, there is a total of 800,000 Jewish Israelis in the
post-1967 areas, about 13% of the population.
Judea and Samaria. Today, the Hebron Jewish community has about 1,000 residents. About
7,500 live in the suburb of Kiryat Arba. Another 7,000 Israelis live in
the dozen communities that dot the Hebron Hills Regional Council.
As of 2019, almost 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and cities over the Green Line,
the border that once divided Israel from Jordan. Combined with Golan Heights and the
eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, there is a total of 800,000 Jewish Israelis in the
post-1967 areas, about 13% of the population.
NOTES:
VISIT HEBRON TODAY!
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/
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
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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebron_machpela/
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