Photo Essay: Thousands Return to Homesh For Independence Day
Thousands of Jews returned to the destroyed Jewish town of Homesh to celebrate Independence Day and demonstrate their desire to return and rebuild.
By Ezra HaLevi and Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
First Publish: 4/25/2007, 1:37 PM
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Walking through the fields toward Homesh
Three generations march to Homesh
Soldiers mingle with marchers
Police did not stop marchers
IDF soldiers stand guard atop a house covered with Islamic martyr posters rather than interfere with the ascent
Soldiers blocked side trails
Some came by piggyback
Some came by mule
Lunch break
Police and marchers talk about march
Endless line of marchers
The hills of Samaria
IDF escorts marchers
Marchers navigate steep incline
Mincha at Homesh
The Tel Aviv skyline from Homesh
Though cars were blocked, other vehicles were able to arrive through the fields and valleys
Atop Homesh's only remaining structure, its water tower
The Likud Party had four buses of activists participate
Prof. Aumann addresses crowd
Rav Dov Lior encourages return to Homesh
On top of Homesh
More than 10,000 hiked to Homesh
"Returning to Homesh
Homesh, late in the day
A blind man, having hiked all the way up, prays the afternoon Mincha prayer at the site where Homesh's old synagogue once stood
Panoramic view of Homesh
(Photos: Tzvi Ben Gedlayahu and Yechiel Stein)