The Chairman of the Council for Jewish Towns in Judea and Samaria (Yesha) Danny Dayan and activist Yakir Segev have announced the establishment of a new organization dedicated to "strengthening the connection between Judea and Samaria and secular Israeli society." The two men, who spoke at the Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem on Thursday, introduced the group as the “Judea and Samaria Public Relations Council” and said it would be independent but would work alongside the Yesha Council.
The group is headed by Segev, a long-time political activist who led The Reservists' Campaign, which called for politicians to be held accountable for mistakes made during the Second Lebanon War.
The first project for the group was the debut of a Hebrew website (http://www.jstory.co.il/ ) promoting tours and educational sites in Judea and Samaria. Tours are to start as early as Sukkot, when guides will begin leading groups through Biblical sites and discussing the millenia of Jewish history in Judea and Samaria.
Segev explained that the new group was part of a special effort to reach out to secular Israelis. “It's hard to deny the fact that today Zionism is mainly in towns like Eli and Ofra... The secular community has refrained from joining the battle for the land of Israel” he said. The group's site was created by secular Israelis living in the Tel Aviv area, he noted.
The main purpose of the group is not to change Israelis' political views, but rather to educate them regarding the importance and history of the region, Segev added. “From my perspective, it's legitimate to support various political views, but first we must connect to our roots, stop apologizing, and at least agree on the historical significance of these sites,” he explained.
“I believe the Israeli community is much more connected to its Jewish roots than it has been in the past, and much more open to Jewish values than it may appear to be,” he said, adding that he feels that today's political scene may appear discouraging, but now is actually a good time to improve ties to Judea and Samaria. “Particularly now, with the loss of faith in leadership, it's important to present our values and say without apologizing: Judea and Samaria are ours, they are part of the story of every Jew.”
In addition to promoting tourism, the group will participate in panels and debates, create a website with information on Judea and Samaria and work to provide publicity for particular communities. The group will also assist in creating and promoting tourist sites. One example given by Segev was Tel Shilo, where the Tabernacle was located for 369 years. “There's no reason that in another five or seven years there shouldn't be as many visitors in Tel Shilo as there are in the City of David,” he said.
Dayan added the group's mission would be to “speak the simple truth.” “This is the land of our fathers,” he said. “Here our fathers walked, as did the judges and kings of Israel, and that gives us the right to our land.”