Hundreds of Jews from eastern Jerusalem on Tuesday celebrated the holiday of Sukkot in the Kidmat Zion neighborhood.

Kidmat Zion “is probably the most important Jewish neighborhood that’s going to be built since 1967,” said Daniel Luria of Ateret Cohanim, who attended the celebration along with ministers Ze'ev Elkin, Uri Ariel, MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home) and Deputy Jerusalem Mayor Hagit Moshe.

“We have eight families in this beautiful area, just east of the Mount of Olives, only a five minute drive from the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem. Every year on Sukkot, thanks to the generosity of the Falik family, we have a very unique event for all the families of the Old City and the general public who comes here to celebrate.”

At the moment, said Luria, there are only eight families living in three buildings in the neighborhood. “We hope to launch a plan to build 300 units here, in this area, where Jews unfortunately, were not able to build the neighborhoods they wanted to back in the 1920s.”

“Close to 600 dunams, that’s 170 acres, was bought and most of that land today is the village of Abu Dis, including the University of Al-Quds which was illegally built on Jewish land,” he explained, “but inside Jerusalem, on part of that land, we hope to build this Jewish neighborhood, basically defining Jerusalem. Together with Maaleh Hazeitim and Kfar Hateimanim and the Old City, in some way it creates the shield of Jerusalem.”