So many events in Jewish history are tied to Hevron, so many ideas and feelings are aroused by it that one doesn’t know where to begin. Year after year, when the Sabbath when we read about the purchase of Hebron arrives, tens of thousands flock to this city. Hearts are filled with excitement, joy, spirituality and—anxiety.
Every visit to Hevbron, every stroll up the stairs to the Cave of the Patriarchs, envelops 
Hearts are filled with excitement, joy, spirituality and—anxiety.
visitors with awe mingled with the feeling of coming home. Here, within this magnificent structure, our grandparents are buried—and what unique forefathers our people had! There is so much to be learned from studying their lives and absorbing their heritage of self sacrifice, loving kindness, charity and the courage to deal with adversity.
Every visit I make to the burial sites of our fathers and mothers is another instance in which I ask myself what they think of me. Do I live up to their standards, their expectations, am I worthy of being their descendant?
I walk in Hevron as if in a dream. Here stand remnants of the ancient city walls, the ones that Moses’ spies felt were too high to be conquered by the Israelites. Only Caleb, son of Yefuneh, who had taken the time to pray at our forefather’s gravesites, was filled with courage and succeeded in conquering Hebron despite the giants among men who ruled there.
King David established his kingdom in Hevron 3000 years ago. He ruled there for seven years before he could ascend to Jerusalem. Archaeologists have found artifacts dating from both Temple periods. It was at the center of the Bar Kochva revolt against Rome and relics of the destruction wreaked upon the city during that period have also been found in archaeological digs.
My feelings about Hevron can be summed up by G-d’s words of praise for Caleb in Numbers 14,24: “My servant Caleb had a different spirit alongside him..” Hevron’s is that spirit: the spirit of bravery, of strong roots, of the living past giving you the courage to face the challenges that lie ahead, the glorious future we can build there. With our forefathers 
With our forefathers supporting us, with a king such as David in our past, with the aid of the stalwart Jews who live in the city today—we will never let our spirits fall. 
live in the city today—we will never let our spirits fall.
But that is not enough. We have to begin to create the image of Hevron as the city that was Israel’s capital before Jerusalem. It is our responsibility to see to it that Hevron receives the honor it deserves.
How should our city look if we have a “different spirit” alongside us?
First, we must found a Hevron Development Company whose mandate will be purchasing home and lands for the massive construction of residential units. We should set a goal of 10,000 Jewish residents for Hevron within the coming decade, living right in the city. It can be done. There are many plans that have been authorized for construction which lack only the government’s will to start working on them. The IDF must remain in control of the high ground in order to offset the disastrous Wye Agreements.
The next project is a massive expansion of the scope of the archaeological digs in the city. Our history awaits us, its secrets are there for us to uncover. The Arab houses built illegally on the ancient tel must be destroyed so there is access to the entire site. The tel can become tourist site the likes of Massada or Hazor. It is unacceptable that digs in the city of our fathers were stopped due to lack of funds..
The tel is Jewish property. In 1811 Rabbi Chaim Yehoshua Bag’ayo, then head of the Spanish and Portugese community in Hevron, purchased Tel Romeida. He purchased 800 dunam there from the local Tamimi family with his own funds and donated the land to his congregation. The two certificates of purchase are signed by the Moslem Wakf and the Tamimi family. They were passed from father to son in the Bag’ayo family until Rabbi Chaim Bag’ayo (1873-1960) gave them to the representatives of the Hevron community—Franco and Chasson—who handed them over to David Avissar. Despite this, most of the tel is covered with illegal Arab structures.
In 1999, the Government Archaeological Authority began a dig to check for artifacts before authorizing building on the site. They were surprised to discover a gigantic wall from the early Bronze period, over 4500 years ago, which dates the founding of the city
The tel is Jewish property. In 1811 Rabbi Chaim Yehoshua Bag’ayo, then head of the Spanish and Portugese community in Hebron, purchased Tel Romeida.700 years prior to the earlier estimates. A Jewish home from the days of King Hezekiah was found as well as a winery dating from Talmudic times . Other findings were from the days of the Judges and the Second Temple, the remains of buildings and many coins. Two layers of ashes and signs of fire are from the Great Rebellion before the Temple’s destruction and from the Bar Kochba rebellion. There is much more to be found.
Third, Hevron needs a governmental Development Authority alongside existing authorities that already are at work developing the Galilee and the Negev. This would organize the government’s activity in the city, initiate events, research projects, conventions and documentation.
Our forefather Abraham did not only purchase a gravesite for his wife Sarah, for whom this week’s Torah reading is named. He purchased the cave, the adjoining fields and the trees therein and along its borders. Sarah’s burial turned Hevron into an area to live in and we must be sure to possess more than graves there—Sarah showed us the way.
Hevron’s history is the heartbeat of the Jewish People. Acts of murder by Arabs, hostile decisions of the Supreme Court, failures of the Likud and purposeful antagonism of leftwing governments caused a reduction in the Jewish presence there. The Israeli media played a significant role in this as well, using the provocations of the police to make their point. All the above are constant trials which the brave Jewish community of Hevron must bear and which they do with pride. They are worthy of this city and Hevron, the heart of the Jewish people, merits their devotion.