While tens of thousands of Israelis will pour into the Cave of the Patriarchs on the Sabbath of Parshat Chaya Sarah, the place where Abraham purchased the first piece of land for the Jewish people in Israel, there are those working around the clock to turn that symbolic occasion into a daily reality.
The “Harchivi Mekom Aholech” organization, which has operated in Hebron for over 18 years, engages in what’s known locally as “redeeming homes” – purchasing Arab buildings with full cash payment, transferring them to Jewish ownership, and revitalizing the Jewish fabric of the city.
“Our goal is to make Hebron Jewish,” said Miriam Fleishman, the organization’s director, with a smile that doesn’t hide the determination. “We’re not ashamed of it. Hebron is the city of the patriarchs. There was always a Jewish ember there; now we’re expanding it.”
According to Fleishman, recent months have brought dramatic change on the ground. “Since the war broke out, we receive at least five inquiries per month from Arabs who want to sell their homes and leave for Europe,” she said. “They saw what happened in Gaza and are doing soul-searching. We know how to help them. Sometimes we literally smuggle them to Europe after the purchase.”
It turns out that this isn’t a simple matter – each building purchase costs millions of shekels and includes not only the purchase of the structure itself, but also full assistance with the emigration of the selling family. The organization doesn’t receive government money and relies primarily on donations “from Jews only,” Fleishman stressed, “and a few ideological investors willing to risk their money for the city.”
The cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron July 18, 2011 (Photo: Yoav Ari Dudkevitch / StillsBank) Yoav Ari Dudkevitch / StillsBank
The first stage of the process is actually intelligence work. “We have people from elite units, Arabic speakers with all the nuances,” Fleishman said. “They know how to identify who really wants to sell. After that, the legal department springs into action and checks real ownership, so we don’t fall for imposters. And then comes the stage of military approvals, forming families who will live in the building, and lots more bureaucracy.”
To date, the organization has successfully acquired eight buildings, with several more already at an advanced stage of development. Fleishman described real climate change. “Since Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich took office, the atmosphere on the ground has been more positive,” she said. “Even in the military, they say when Jews live in the neighborhoods, security improves; it doesn’t get complicated.”
Aryeh Gottlieb, a city resident, described a rare sense of satisfaction. “We’re 40 meters from the Cave. Give me the most luxurious villa in Savyon, I’m not leaving,” he said. “Every coffee I drink in Hebron is a commandment of settling the land. It’s not like drinking coffee in a cafe.”
According to him, security forces also understand the contribution. “They told us we think they’re protecting us, but actually we’re protecting them,” he said. “Our very presence helps.”
Palestinians throw stones towards Israeli settlers as dozens of Israeli Jews, under the escort of Israeli soldiers and border police, move into two homes on January 21, 2016 (Photo: AFP / Hazem Bader) AFP
Tzviya Ben Shai, a third-generation Hebron resident, has returned to live in the city after being away for more than 50 years. “I always wanted to be close to the Cave. This is the most suitable place for me,” she said. “Today it feels like a neighborhood, people walk on foot, enter, and exit. There’s movement, there’s life. In another year, there will be a real city here.”
Fleishman summed up with a sharp message. “We need to be in the Arab cities themselves, not just around them. Settlement around them is important, but holding the heart of the cities is critical,” she said. “‘Harchivi Mekom Aholech,’ translates to “expand our place, I will go,” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a mission. And we call on the public, whoever wants to see a Jewish Hebron, they should know – this is in our hands, and it depends on money.”
