A new photography exhibition documenting the aliyah and activity at Shdema by photographers Gemma Blech, Rivka Ryback and Avigail Browning became the centerpiece of a holiday afternoon at the site on Sunday. The opening of the exhibition, sponsored by the Committee for a Jewish Shdema, began with a musical celebration of "Songs of Eretz Israel" performed by Musa Berlin and his band. Children found inflatables and other activities to hold their interest, while adults had the opportunity to browse through booths offering various foods, arts and crafts. An open sukkah was available as well.
Greetings to guests were delivered by Rabbi Dov Lior, the Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Arba-Hevron, Likud coalition chairman and Knesset Member Zev Elkin, and Shaul Goldstein, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council. IDF Col. (res.) Moshe Peled delivered an address on Settlement and Security, and Rabbi Yosef Mendelovitch will describe the exciting story of the aliyah itself to Shdema.
The event was to conclude with festive Simchat Beit HaSho'eva dancing with the Me'Shir Band of Benzi Thee and Avi Schmell.
Shdema, located between Jerusalem and eastern Gush Etzion, was the site of a Hasmonean fortress 2,000 years ago, served as a Jordanian army base between 1948 and 1967, and was an IDF base until two years ago...
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