Thread by @michaeldickson

THE HEBRON MASSACRE:
On this day in 1929, the peace of the city that Abraham purchased thousands of years ago, that is his resting place together with Issac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah and the second holiest Jewish site in the world, was shattered. (1/7)

At that time, 700 Jews lived in Hebron in relative peace with Arab neighbors. The Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini (who later offered to assist Hitler) gave vicious sermons against Jews, inciting violence, spreading false allegations that Jews were killing Arabs. (2/7)

This provoked riots that erupted across the country. On Friday night of August 23, 1929, for a period of three days, Hebron was the site of terror as Arabs began a massacre against the local Jews, who had not expected the attacks. Arabs began to gather en masse.. (3/7)

..around the Jewish community. They came in mobs, armed with clubs, knives and axes. While the women and children threw stones, the men ransacked Jewish houses and destroyed Jewish property. Shouts were heard throughout the Shabbat of August 24th of “Kill the Jews!”. (4/7)

The elderly Rabbi Ya’acov Slonim hid Yeshiva students in but when he refused to give them up, he was murdered. By the end of the massacre, 67 Jews were dead - their homes and shuls destroyed - and a few hundred survivors were evacuated by British forces to Jerusalem. (5/7)

For the first time in hundreds of years, Hebron was left without Jews. It was only after the Six Day War, when Hebron was liberated from Jordanian occupation, that the Jewish community was permanently re-established. (6/7)

The ultimate tribute, 90 years since the Hebron Massacre is that, despite tensions, once again Jewish life continues in the city. Hundreds of thousands of people each year are able to visit the tombs of our founding fathers and mothers once more. May Hebron only know peace. (7/7)