Today, 17 Av, this year August 18h, marks the 80th anniversary of the Hebron massacre. With cries of “Slaughter the Jews” and “Allahu Akbar,” the mob broke into homes, tortured, raped and murdered men, women and children.
Benzion Gershon, a pharmacist @ Hadassah hospital, known throughout the region for helping Jews and Arabs alike, was tortured and murdered after being forced to watch the mobs rape and butcher his daughter. 67 Jewish men, women and children were killed. @billmaher history class
The survivors escaped to Jerusalem, and for the first time in hundreds of years, Hebron was empty of Jewish life. In 1968, after Israel’s victory in the 6 day war, Jews were allowed to return to Hebron. @billmaher history class
History records a Jewish presence in Hebron from time of Abraham, approximately 3800 years ago. It was specifically Hebron that Abraham purchased land to use as a burial plot for his wife. The Patriarchs, Matriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca & Leah R buried in Hebron
Some 800 years later, King David established his capital in Hebron: “And it came to pass afterwards that David inquired of G-d, saying, shall I go up into any of the cities of Judea? And G-d said to him, go! And David said, Where shall I go to? And He said: To Hebron!”
In 1819, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch, son of Rabbi Schneor Zalman of Liadi sent a group of followers to establish a Chabad community in Hebron. Rabbi Dovber acknowledged the dedication this move required, and blessed Jews who chose to live in Hebron
Rabbi Dovber himself later purchased a synagogue next to the Avraham Avinu Synagogue to personally participate in building Hebron’s Jewish Community.
A second group of Chabad Chasidm immigrated to Hebron during the years 1840-1845. The group included Menashe Chaikin, Rabbi Ya’akov Slonim and his wife Menucha Rachel, daughter of Rabbi Dovber.
During the 1929 massacre, almost the entire Slonim family was killed, save a one year old child named Shlomo.
The pogrom took place before there was a state of Israel and before 1967. As an American Jew, I support peace but let us not forget how we go here. #NeverAgainIsNow
@billmaher history class.
Oops. Sorry. Typo. The 90th anniversary since the attack in 1929.
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