Hevron shortly before Shabbat
Hevron shortly before ShabbatMendy Hechtman

Over 40,000 Israelis, lawmakers, and public figures flooded Hevron for the annual weekend dedicated to highlighting the Jewish people's ties to the ancient city.

The event occurs annually on the week where the Torah portion of 'Chayei Sarah' is read, in which the Biblical patriarch Abraham buys the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron.

Revelers ate in large communal meals and stayed in large tents specially set up for the occasion, as well as at the homes of residents.

This year's event celebrated two recent developments: The official opening of the archeological site at Tel Heron as an official site of Nature and Parks Authority and the government's recent decision to approve a new apartment building to be built in Hebron.

חברון
חברוןצילום מנדי הכטמן