A trip to Hebron

The tour should start with the archaeological excavations in Tel Hebron. In recent years, the Antiquities Authority has done an outstanding job here, uncovering the ancient city - much more ancient than we thought: the ancient walls are from the Early Bronze Age - about 4,500 years ago.

The impressive walls protected the city which was located at the top of the hill. Near there, the 'new' walls were discovered, which are "only" from about 3,800 years ago, from the Middle Bronze Age - the age of the ancestors.

Inside, inside the city you see a house from the ancient Israeli period - from about 3,000 years ago. This is a "Four Areas" house where columns have been kept that have been in place since the days of King David. A silo for storing grain was also uncovered, and next to it a cellar for pressing wine from the Byzantine period.

At the top of Tel Hebron there is an interesting site known as the 'Tomb of Yeshi': it is a beautiful observation site inside an ancient Crusader fortress, surrounded by ancient olive trees. It is worth going up here for a view of the city and the valley. The place is guarded by a small military unit, nestled among the trees exactly where the city's citadel was in ancient times.

You can get down from the hill in two ways: by the road towards Beit Hadassah, and by the path towards the ancient spring and the giant walls. It is recommended to go down the path, and go through the impressive giant walls from the time of the ancestors.

At the bottom of the mountain we will arrive near Beit Hadassah and observe an interesting and impressive building. There was a Jewish hospital there more than a century ago, operated by the "Hadasa" organization, and where the Jewish settlement lasted for the last generation. Today it houses a museum of the history of the Jewish community. The museum is small, but interesting: mainly the memorial room for the victims of the 1929 riots and an audiovisual show. This is a must visit for anyone interested in the history of the Jewish settlement in Israel in recent generations.

A minute's walk from Beit Hadassah stands a skyscraper, this is the "Shebi Hebron" yeshiva building in Beit Romano. In this building Rabbi Medini finished writing the Talmudic encyclopedia "Shadi Hamad" the building underwent renovations and another floor was discovered buried in the ground.

A few minutes walk from Beit Hadassah is the old Jewish quarter. The district was built already 500 years ago, and has since gone through many incarnations. In the 1975 riots, it was destroyed, and the Avraham Avino synagogue, which was inside it, was destroyed. In recent years, the synagogue has been restored and the Jewish quarter rebuilt - in a construction that preserved the ancient style.

In the center of the Avraham Avino neighborhood is a synagogue that has been accurately restored, and today it is a beautiful building that can be visited. You should ask for a local guide who knows all the stories: he will also open the Ark of the Covenant for you, and show you the ancient and special Torah books, hundreds of years old. There are many legends about these books, and one historical fact is certain: during the riots of 1955, the Jews hid the books so they wouldn't fall into the hands of the rioters, and when they left the city - they took them with them. After the synagogue was rebuilt - they returned the books to their place, in the ancient Ark of the Covenant.

When visiting here, with a real touch of authentic tradition dating back hundreds of years, you can imagine the Spanish songs and melodies in the picturesque synagogue.

Near the Cave of the Patriarchs, you should first enter the visitor center. It has a restaurant and toilets, an information station and training material, and also a nice souvenir shop. Here you can get maps and training material, dine and rest. The operators of the place will be happy to explain about the Cave of the Patriarchs and the area in general.

Entering the Cave of the Patriarchs is an experience in itself. Here too, it is highly recommended to use a local guide

We remember the stories of Abraham our father, the fathers and the mothers, and this is the time to remember and remind the children a little. The structure above the Cave of the Patriarchs is 2000 years old - the only structure in the world that has stood intact for so long, and continues to operate as before! (We have something to be proud of!) The construction is impressive and surprising.

According to the ancient tradition, this is the entrance to Paradise, and here, apart from Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Leah, Isaac and Rebecca, Adam and Eve are also found. Here you can also hear about the traditional entrance to the depths of the cave.

We go out, breathe mountain air, and conclude a day full of experiences, interesting and fascinating. A diverse city, open to tourists and visitors, and includes everything: history, landscape, authenticity, tradition, people.

(from "Hebron the soul of the Jewish people")

Things you see from here you don't see from there