Touring Beit El, Kfar Ivri, and More

Last week I joined a group of women from various parts of the country under the leadership of my neighbor Rachel Sela for an amazing tour.

There were only three stops/locations, and each was special representing our undeniable connection to the Land of Israel and Bible.

First we went to nearby Beit El, where they have a visitors center dedicated to the story of Jacob's Ladder. But for us the significance of Beit El concerned the split of the Davidic Dynasty, long after our Forefather Jacob slept and dreamt in Beit El.

Next stop was the real Givat Shaul, Hill of Saul, where archeologists have found remains of palaces from Biblical times. But this structure has nothing to do with the bible at all, though it was meant to be a palace. In the mid-1960s Jordan's King Hussein wanted a summer palace in  eastern Jerusalem, which he illegally occupied at the time. We were there on a very hot day, but the winds blowing through the incomplete shell were strong.

The Hashemites are long gone, and Jerusalem has grown tremendously under Israeli sovereignty.

Afterwards we visited Beit Hashivah, which although is in an Arab neighborhood and part of Jerusalem, the land is really owned by Jews. Prior to Israeli Independence there had been a Jewish farming village there, Kfar Ivri, near the present neighborhood of Neve Yaakov, which also has a history of being a Jewish farming village. 

We met some of the Jewish residents, new and old who told us the story and how they are trying to revitalize this Jewish neighborhood. A number of young families now live in the building, and there's a yeshiva where men learn during the day.

Over fifty years ago, my husband and I spent a few Shabbatot there as guests of one of the original families, so it was very moving for me to finally return.

The oldest and most veteran of the Jewish residents is the well-known Ezra Yachin, pictured on the left. In his youth is fought in the pre-state underground Lechi, aka Stern Gang. He has written many books about his experiences and related topics. His memoir, Elnakam is published in both English and Hebrew.

Ezra still travels around the country talking to young and old about his life and Israel's history.

We ended our tour with dinner on the roof of Beit Hashivah. It was truly a wonderful day.

Geula Cohen, Remembered, 30 Shloshim

Tzachi Hanegbi speaking at his mother's shloshim

Last night I attended the Geula Cohen, ZaTza"L, event in the Beit ATza"G, Uri Tzvi Greenberg Center to commemorate her Shloshim, 30 days since she had passed away. For us, Geula was family. My husband had worked for her and with her for decades.

The hall was packed mostly with older people who had known Geula personally in her various roles, crusades and projects. There were very few politicians, but many activists and ordinary Israelis who had been inspired by Geula's history and contributions, yes, in the plural, to the establishment of the State of Israel, her unwavering support of Jewish Rights and Sovereignty in all of the Land of Israel and her promotion of the teaching of the poetry of Uri Tzvi Greenberg and the legendary fighters/member of Lechi and Etzel.

Tzachi Hanegbi, Geula's son, spoke beautifully and very suitably especially given the location of the event. I'll just repeat one very telling story, which he revealed to us last night. For a relatively short period of time they both served as Members of Knesset, Geula representing Techiya and Tzachi the Likud. Then there was the elections in which Techiya didn't get enough votes to be in the Knesset. Tzachi was nervous about how his mother would take it but forced himself to visit her soon after the results were out.

Instead of finding Geula depressed and/or angry, Tzachi was amazed to find his mother already galvanized, lobbying for her next project/cause. Geula's forced retirement from the Knesset was dedicated to the promotion of the teaching of  Uri Tzvi Greenberg, his contributions to Hebrew and Jewish Literature, poetry and more. If it wasn't for the vision of Geula Cohen, Uri Tzvi Greenberg would be forgotten.

We must never forget Geula Cohen who was a great Jewish fighter for the Jewish Land, State, People, History and Literature.

Jerusalem Field Trip to The "Underground Museum"

A couple of weeks ago, the senior citizen "vattimkim," program I attend every week had a field trip to Jerusalem. I already blogged about our visit to the Jerusalem Municipality complex at Safra Square where we saw their amazing scale model of some of the city.

Just behind Safra Square is what's known as Migrash Harusim, the Russian Compound, in which there's a police station, jail and the jail that the British used when they were occupying the Land of Israel, during the Mandate.

In that old jail is a museum dedicated to the Jewish prisoners who had been arrested, held and executed by the British before the declaration of Independence of the State of Israel. Over the almost half a century I've lived in Israel, I visited that museum a number of times. Each time there are updates and improvements to help the visitors gain a good comprehension of what imprisonment was like there during that difficult time.

Most of the Jewish prisoners had been members of the Etzel and Lechi, known as the "underground." Since members of the Haganah and Palmach cooperated with the British by informing on the Etzel and Lehi, fewer of them were jailed. Pretty much everyone in our group has a good knowledge of pre-state history and knows the historical context of the Underground Museum. Our guide had to take that into account, and she was wonderful. When members of the group wanted to enter a room that the guide hadn't planned on showing, she cooperated happily.

Most of the group I was with didn't need

This is a wonderful museum, not too large. It is easy to get to by public transportation, bus and the lightrail. The tour guides are excellent, as are the public toilets.