(Updated Sunday 10:15AM) Over 25,000 Jews gathered from across Israel, and from communities abroad, to celebrate this past Shabbat in the ancient Jewish town of Hevron. The annual event coincides with the weekly Torah portion of Chayei Sarah, where the sale of the Cave of the Patriarchs (Maharat Hamachpela) in Hevron to Abraham is documented.
Hevron spokesman David Wilder, in a conversation with Arutz 7's Josh Hasten this morning, couldn't hold back his joy after such an uplifting Shabbat. "There were so many people here it took me over half-an hour to get out of Maharat Hapachpela after services on Shabbat morning!" exclaimed Wilder. He said that, "It meant a tremendous amount to us in Hevron seeing so much support. After the events of the last few weeks: the army pulling out of 80% of the city, after the terrorist attack during the Sukkot holiday, to see so many people coming to Hevron and giving support for our presence here even during times of difficulty is very important. It really shows that Am Yisrael Chai (The nation of lives). It shows how vibrant the country really is."
Wilder added that guests arrived in Israel from North America just for this weekend alone. He said that one such family who flew in from Canada to show their solidarity, had lost a grandfather in Hevron during the 1929 Arab massacre. 67 of Hevron's Jews were murdered in that incident.
Hevron spokesman David Wilder, in a conversation with Arutz 7's Josh Hasten this morning, couldn't hold back his joy after such an uplifting Shabbat. "There were so many people here it took me over half-an hour to get out of Maharat Hapachpela after services on Shabbat morning!" exclaimed Wilder. He said that, "It meant a tremendous amount to us in Hevron seeing so much support. After the events of the last few weeks: the army pulling out of 80% of the city, after the terrorist attack during the Sukkot holiday, to see so many people coming to Hevron and giving support for our presence here even during times of difficulty is very important. It really shows that Am Yisrael Chai (The nation of lives). It shows how vibrant the country really is."
Wilder added that guests arrived in Israel from North America just for this weekend alone. He said that one such family who flew in from Canada to show their solidarity, had lost a grandfather in Hevron during the 1929 Arab massacre. 67 of Hevron's Jews were murdered in that incident.