Four years ago, on the Eve of Rosh Hashannah, our neighbor, Avihu Keinan, was killed in a badly planned army action. During the very much shortened shiva, usually a week's mourning period, his father, Moshe, pledged to march from Shiloh to the President's Residence in Jerusalem during Succot. That he did, accompanied by over a hundred neighbors of all ages. Now it is a Shiloh custom. Many of us plan our Succot holiday around the march.
The marching, walking, unencumbered by shields and weapons is what we should be doing all the time. It is a sign of ownership, and we are the true owners of the Land. The army insists on accompanying us, as you'll see in some pictures. The first march was entirely by foot to Jerusalem, but since then, due to pressure from the security forces, and the simple fact that marching the distance by such a disparate group takes takes until after nightfall, sections of the route are by bus. That doesn't detract from the significance of the march, itself. Remember that many Israelis won't even travel our roads in bullet-proof vehicles. What is obvious is that the taller we stand and the more confident we act, the more frightened the Arabs are. They pay no attention to those who march the roads proudly. Like the Biblical Amalek, they prey on weakness.
Marching the roads of Eretz Yisrael make us safe and secure!
This year I was with the marchers from Shiloh to Givat Asaf, the Beit El Junction, aka Tzomet HaTee. After that I went to Jerusalem to see my visiting parents. The march continued to Givat Hatachmoshet, Ammunition Hill, a major battleground of the Six Days War. To prepare the group of marcher for it, we heard one of the soldiers speak about the battle for Jerusalem, when we had a rest stop in Ofra.
Here are a few of the pictures. The rest will be posted on me-ander.
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