Jews return to Joseph's tomb - 23-6-09

Monday night 22 June 2009, Hundreds of Jewish worshipers visit Joseph's tomb under heavy IDF security. Israeli army escorts bus loads of Jewish visitors through the PA city of Schechem (Nablus). Since the site was taken-over and desecrated by Arab mobs in September 2000, Jews have not had free access to the Biblical holy place.

Samaria Regional Council head Gershon Mesika is spearheading a political effort to rebuild the tomb of the biblical figure Joseph, located in Shechem, 30 miles north of Jerusalem. The tomb was overrun and desecrated by Arabs in October 2000, and remains in an area under control of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Over the past year Mesika has been lobbing government and military command for permits to restore Joseph's Tomb and hopes to recruit funds for the project. During this time Jews have been allowed monthly visits to the site under heavy militarily guard.

Mesika was among twelve busloads of Jews who entered Joseph's Tomb between 11PM - 4AM last night for an event marking the “Hillola” anniversary of Joseph's death. The Jewish worshippers, who brought generators with them for electricity, reported that the occasion was a moving one, despite the run down and ravaged state of the tomb.

Last night visitors planted a tree in the front courtyard of the site were an ancient tree had stood until it was brunt down by rioters 9 years ago. See attached photo.

For more information please contact:

David Ha'ivri
The Shomron Liaison Office
USA Phone 1-512-961-7059
Israel Phone 052-607-1690
Website www.yeshuv.org


And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, they buried in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob purchased from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. (The book of Joshua 24:32)

No to ethinic cleasing of Jews in our Homeland

Yom Atzmaut at Kfar Tapuach

Yom HaZikron - memorial services at Itamar cemetery

Yom HaZikron - Remembering the fallen heroes

Memorial ceremony lead by youth of Kfar Tapuach

Bruchin

The community of Bruchin is a 15 minute drive east of Petach Tikvah, just off the number 5 highway. The town was established ten years ago via a decision by the government of the State of Israel. The Ministry of Housing built 40 permanent homes, enabling young families to purchase them with government sponsored and subsidized mortgages. Some 40 additional families joined the community, moving into the town's temporary neighborhood of caravan trailer-homes. Many of this second group purchased plots of land, drew up building plans, and began building their homes in a neighborhood adjacent to the one built by the government.
Benny Begin visiting Bruchin in the Shomron
Ariel Sharon, who in an “earlier life” as Minister of Housing 1990 - 1992 was a force in expanding the towns of Yehuda and Shomron by building thousands of houses, was quoted as saying: "Everybody has to move, run and grab as many (Judean) hilltops as they can to enlarge the (Jewish) settlements because everything we take now will stay ours... Everything we don't grab will go to them." That statement could be viewed as the battle cry of the hilltop movement that has established over 100 new Jewish towns throughout Yehuda and Shomron over the past 12 years. But something bad happened to Sharon in his old age - his hunger for personal advancement got the better of him. He appointed notorious leftist attorney Talia Sason to “investigate” how the “outposts” grew and spread thorughout Yehuda and Shomron. Talia Sason has been known to manipulate her government appointed positions as a vehicle to oppress her political opponents in the settlements. As head of the Justice ministry's special task force, she hunted down settlers and right wing activists (like myself) and had the police investigate and press charges against them for making statements not to her liking. She recently ran for Knesset on the ultra-left Mertz list, but Baruch HaShem, did not get in.

On page 12 in the summary of Sason's report on the outposts, she describes how Bruchin was built with government approval, but then proceeds to classify the town as an unauthorized (illegal) outpost. As a result of this report, the government stopped all funding and private building in the town. Families who had invested in land and building plans were suddenly in a predicament, misled by the government of Israel itself. Over the past four years, their building plans have been frozen. Many young families in the community are stuck in trailer homes that they had planned as temporary dwellings for no more than two years, until their permanent homes nearby were ready. In the meantime, their families have grown and they endure overcrowded conditions. They cannot go elsewhere even if they wanted to, because they have already invested their money in land and building in Bruchin. Sason's report has additional ramifications: the electric company and phone company are forbidden from providing the town a proper infrastructure. And so, Bruchin's hundred families must rely on cellphones and generators. The State has even forbidden the town from tying in with the national sewage line, forcing the residents to commit a crime every time they flush the toilet.

How did Talyia Sason manage to to declare this State-established town an "illegal outpost"? Bruchin, like 98% of all of the Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, is built on State owned land. The Minster of Defense is required to sign the final approval for registering a new town. This procedure is not very different from that of the establishment of towns, moshavim and kibutzim throughout Israel since it’s founding. For some towns, it took 60 years before they got their final approval. The only difference between Bruchin and nearby Alei Zahav is that Bruchin has not yet received that signature! This is the loophole that Sasson used.

Recently, Shomron Mayor Gershon Mesika asked the Minster of Defense to sign papers to allow the building of a preschool daycare center that would replace the old trailers now being used for the Bruchin's hundred toddlers. Of course, he refused, meaning that funding from the Ministry of Education for a permanent facility was now unattainable. (Note that the government is not so strict in areas where Arabs build with no permit in the Negev and the Galilee, where a refusal of educational facilities is unheard of) And so, little children in Israel are punished for living in what has been designated as an “illegal outpost” even though it was originally established with full government authorization. Fortunately, in the case of this day care center, a generous donor was found who was willing to take on what is essentially the government’s responsibility.

Bruchin is the story of one of the largest unauthorized outposts in the Shomron regional council. It certainly breaks the stereotype of what an "illegal outpost" is to most people. The residents of Bruchin are in most part professionals, workers in high-tech, IDF; the elite of Israeli society. May haShem bless us with national leadership who understand that the right of the Jewish people to settle our land is a basic fundamental right that must be be promoted and sponsored by the government, and not oppressed. The settlers in these new towns or outposts are not criminals; they are the heroes of our people and should be awarded for their work.

Narative of Pesach Shomron tour (part 1)

My name is David Ha'ivri and I work with the Shomron Liaison Office. I’d like to tell you about some of the work we do in the Gav HaHar area in the Shomron. Here we will be seeing the result of cooperation between the Shomron Liaison office and the ZOA – Zionist Organization of America's Israel office lead by Jeff Daube. (I am glad to see the ZOA more active in the Shomron; Jeff and I have led a number of tours out here and hosted members of the ZOA leadership including ZOA chairman Morton Klein.)

To get to the Gav HaHar area from Jerusalem means traveling north on the 60 road as it is marked on the road map. This road is actually the highway of the Bible. All of the main biblical figures traveled north and south on this road. All of the major places mentioned in the Bible are situated on this road. Elon Moreh, Shechem, Shilo, Beit El, Jerusalem, Beit Lechem and Be'er Sheva. Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are all recorded stopping at these locations. This is why we call this Derech HaAvot, the Way of the Fathers.

The Gav HaHar area includes many Jewish towns in the Shomron. The Shomron regional council incorporates 40 Jewish town or settlements as popularly coined in the media. Thirty of our towns are officially recognized by the government of Israel and 12 towns have been classified as unauthorized outposts. (Explanations on that subject will be dealt with further on.) One can meet with residents and see some local educational institutions and businesses. After reading this report, you will have a clearer picture in mind and a better understanding of many current issues you may hear discussed in the media. This report was written to clarify these issues with un-biased information. The long term goal is to settle these areas of our historical homeland and keep them in Jewish hands forever.

Upon leaving Jerusalem’s Pisgat Ze'ev – Neveh Yaakov neighborhoods one passes through the checkpoint that the Israeli government calls the security barrier. This part of the barrier is in fact an 8 meter high cement wall. Many people feel that building this wall was a mistake and they hope for the day that it will be removed in order to reunite the parts of the land of Israel that are separated by it. Many people hold the belief that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. As a result of the surrounding Arabs’ plans to annihilate the Jewish state in 1967, the area of Judea and Samaria, the Sinai and Golan were liberated by the Jewish army. Many people also hold that this land must never be forfeit to other nations as it is a gift from G-d.

After passing the Hezmi checkpoint, the bypass road continues on to the Jewish town of Geva Binyamin otherwise known as Adam. It is interesting to point out that this bypass road was paved by the government of Israel in order to redirect Jewish traffic from the Shomron and Binyamin areas that previously passed though Ramalla, Elbera and the Shoefat neighborhood in the north of Jerusalem. These roads and towns have been declared “off limits” to Jews since the “Peace” broke out. Further along there will be pointed out other such bypass roads and areas that have been closed off to Jews. Note here that contrary to claims of “peace activists”, the bypass roads are open to local Arabs and used by them to their benefit. The only people who have been banned from certain roads and areas are Jews.

To the north the 60 road passes by the towns of the Binyamin regional council, first Adam-Geva Binyamin, which was established in the summer of 1984 by young families from Jerusalem neighborhoods. Today there are over 1000 families in the town. Many work in Jerusalem which is only 4 kilometers away. Others work in the towns’ educational system and some in small local industry.

After that the road goes by the Shar Binyamin commercial center, which includes the Rami Levi discount super market, a medical and dental clinic, a bakery and other stores and services as well as some small industry. It is interesting to point out that many local Arabs frequent the supermarket here as shoppers and not a small number are employed there as well.

To the west one passes the towns of Pesagot and Kochav Yaakov and the infamous Migron that has received media coverage regarding government plants to be dismantled. Hopefully the government will continue to talk and the building will continue. Soon the road comes to Givat Asaf which was established in 2001 in memory of Asaf Hershkowitz from the nearby town of Ofrah. He was killed by Arab snipers on this road only weeks after his father was killed in the same way. Givat Asaf is located at the turn off to the town Beit El.

Next the road comes to one of the older “settlements” in the Binyamin region, Ofra. Ofra was established in 1975 and named for a biblical Jewish farming community located in the region. With over 500 families, Ofra is one of the larger towns in the Binyamin area. The original families who joined this town were all required to work locally. As a result of that rule, many of the town's people cultivate the land around the town growing fruit. Others own carpentry shops; a car mechanic garage and others work in local educational institutions, elementary school, and high school for girls, a Medrasha for young women and the Society for the protection of Nature's field school.

Next comes Wadi Haramia which literately means the valley of the bandits. This narrow passage through two very high mountains leaves no room for detours. As mentioned earlier, this road is historically the highway of the bible. Throughout the ages pilgrims and travelers would pass though this valley on their way to Jerusalem. Local bandits would take advantage of t he topography and take their toll from the travelers. The British mandate police set up a command station to protect travelers from the bandits. After Sara Lisha from the Binyamin town Halamish was murdered at this spot in Nov. 2000 the old British police station building was restored and used by the IDF to protect commuters on this road from attack. However in 2002 ten Israeli soldiers and civilians were shot down here by an Arab sniper after which the military ceased use of the site as an outpost. Since then it has been used by the Binyamin regional council as a memorial site for those killed.

The road then continues on to pass by the Arab villages of Sangil and Tormus Eya; from the first came the terrorist who killed the 10 Jews at the old British checkpoint that just mentioned and the second village is noted to have many former residents who live in the United Stated. One can see the large mansions. It is said that they have private security firms that guard the homes of the people who currently reside in the US.

To the right, the town of Shilo, the Adi Ad hilltop communities and the site of the Mishkan – the tabernacle from the days of Eli HaChohen and Shmuel HaNavi – can be seen. On the hill to the left are the hilltop communities of Givat Harel, named for the son of Shilo's Rabbi Harel BinNun who was killed with his friend Shlomo Livman while on guard in Yitzhar in 1998, and Givat HaRoeh established in 2003. Up above them is the town of Maale Livona, with the town of Eli is on the right. Eli is the northern most town in the Binyamin regional council.

Shortly the road comes to the first destination on this agenda, Rechelim, which is the southernmost town in the Shomron regional council on the 60 road. The Shomron regional council is the largest regional council in Israel in terms of size. Its area is 11% the size of the state of Israel. The southern border of the Shomron regional council is the Jewish towns just south of the 5 or 505 highway; the eastern and northern borders are the Green-line. Within the geographical area of the Shomron regional council there are four independent local municipalities: Kedumim, Emunuel, Karni Shomron, Elkana and an independent city, the city of Ariel. The Shomron regional council serves as the municipality for all of the other Jewish communities in this area on both sides of the security barrier. The Shomron regional council is unique in that its population is very diverse, some of the communities are religious, some not and some mixed. That fact has never been an issue affecting relations and cooperation within these communities. Elon Moreh resident Gershon Meskia is the elected head of the Shomron regional council.

Rechelim was establish in 1991 by women of the town of Shilo in memory of their friend Rachela Druck who was killed in by Arab terrorists on the road by the site of the town. Here one can meet and speak with Kuti (Katriel) Ben David who has lived here with his wife and children for over 12 years. Kuti works as a tour guide and in the past he was the administrative director of one of the neighboring towns. From Kuti one can learn the history of the town, the hardships suffered until being approved by the government and then being un-approved again as result of the Taliya Sasson report.

Talyia Sasson was appointed in 2005 by Ariel Sharon to investigate government funding of the “outposts” in Yehuda and Shomron. Basically what she did was go over a checklist of what permits are required in order to establish a new town in Israel and anything that was not completed went on her black list and became classified as an un-authorized or illegal outpost. Rechelim is an example of a town that was built by the State of Israel and later became un-approved and has had all of its funding stopped by the government. That includes the refusal of the ministry of education to finance pre-schools for the town’s youngsters.

Rechelim is home to about 45 families. Children go to school at the elementary school in Shilo. One of the town's residents runs a therapeutic house ranch. There is also Erez Ben Saadon's Tora winery. This winery has again this year won a medal for excellence. Erez grows his grapes on Mount Grizim. Har Grizim towers over 800 meters above sea level and has a very unique mini climate that does wonders for the quality of the grapes grown there. Erez started growing grapes for wine about ten years ago while he was a student in the Hesder Yeshiva at Har Bracha. The first years were very difficult for him and his young wife Vered. Each year they encountered expenses that they had not planned for and that forced them to look for financing so as not to lose their initial investment. They were near broke and had no income from the vineyard until after the fourth year. The first crops were sold under contract to Carmel Mizrachi and there it was discovered that these grape are very fine and have an extraordinary level of sugar. Erez found that Carmel was not able to pay him the true value of his produce and started out to produce his own wine. Recently Tora wines has brought in a foreign investor and will this year begin marketing in the USA.

From Rechelim the road continues on to Havat Gilad, which was established in 2001 on land owned by Moshe Zar in memory of his son Gilad who was assinated by Arab terrorists in the end of May that year. Gilad Zar was the civilian security chief for the Shomron regional council. He lived in Itamar with his wife Hagar and their 8 children.

(To be continued...)