Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu
Rabbi Shmuel EliyahuFlash 90

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat, recently visited the demolished home of the Kaisler family in the Samaria community of Kida. While visiting the ruin of the home, Rabbi Eliyahu commented the house "must be rebuilt. This whole area must be built up."

Sagi Kaisler is the Director of the Shomron (Samaria) Residents' Committee; members of the Committee have accused the Civil Administration of politically targeting Kaisler for his activities supporting a Jewish presence in the area.

The rabbi noted that in the Torah "there is a promise made by G-d to Abraham: 'I will give this Land to your seed,' and everyone who is a partner now in building this house, and other houses like it in the area... is in partnership with Abraham himself."

A new campaign has been launched to help the Kaisler family rebuild their home. As of this week 300,000 shekels ($85,000) have already been raised, although the family was left with losses of over 1 million shekels (over $280,000) due to the demolition of their recently built home.

Kaisler recounted that during the visit Rabbi Eliyahu "and his wife came to strengthen my wife and children," adding that the rabbi's wife told him they would come for the hanukat bayit (housewarming party) of their new home.

While the Defense Ministry published a report on Monday which supported the destruction of the Kaislers' house, Attorney Doron Nir Tzvi noted that the house was targeted despite the presence of hundreds of Arab-owned buildings with much more problematic legal standing in the immediate area.

Rabbi Eliyahu earlier this month warranted the renewed condemnation of the far-left, who accuse the rabbi of "racism," when he was raised for nomination for the position of Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

The attacks on Rabbi Eliyahu stem from his joint ruling with dozens of other rabbis declaring that according to Jewish law, Jews in Tzfat should not rent or sell their homes to Arabs. The ruling followed complaints that Arabs were deliberately causing disturbances with the intent of driving their Jewish neighbors out.