And Abram pitched his tents, and he came, and he dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. Bereshit (Genesis) - Chapter 13:18
From its first mention in the Bible until today, Hebron has always been central to the Jewish people. It is where our first forefather Abraham lived and where the first registered purchase of Land in Israel was recorded, the sale of the Cave of Machpela which Abraham paid Efron the Hittite 400 shekels for. This Cave would be where our beloved foremother Sarah would be buried along with the rest of our forefathers and foremothers, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Rebbeca, and Leah.
Also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, there isn’t a day where buses from all over Israel aren’t bringing thousands of pilgrims to Hebron to pray at the site of our patriarchs and matriarchs and connect to thousands of years of biblical ancestry.
Despite there being only a very small number of Jews living in Hebron and in the surrounding Jewish community of Kiryat Arba, the Jewish connection to Hebron is eternal and thriving!
Also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, there isn’t a day where buses from all over Israel aren’t bringing thousands of pilgrims to Hebron to pray at the site of our patriarchs and matriarchs and connect to thousands of years of biblical ancestry.
Despite there being only a very small number of Jews living in Hebron and in the surrounding Jewish community of Kiryat Arba, the Jewish connection to Hebron is eternal and thriving!
From being one of the holiest cities in Israel to the burial place of our Biblical ancestors, here are five fascinating facts about Hebron!
1. Hebron is the second holiest city after Jerusalem.
In the Old Testament, he is mentioned 62 times. According to the Old Testament, Abraham, the founder of the Jewish people, paid 400 shekels of fine silver for the Cave of the Patriarchs, also called the Cave of Machpelah. Hebron is one of the oldest cities in the world, it was here that King David began to reign.
2. The Cave of the Patriarchs, (the Cave of Machpelah) is the oldest building in the world that has been functioning for more than 2000 years.
Here the forefathers and foremothers of the Jewish people were buried – Abraham and Sarah, Yitzhak and Rivka, Yaakov and Leah.
Muslims added minarets to the Jewish construction of The Cave of the Patriarchs to give the building a Muslim look. For 700 years of Muslim rule (the Mamluk, Turkish, and Jordanian), Jews were forbidden to enter The Cave of the Patriarchs.
3. It is considered that Adam and Eve were buried there first.
The cave held significance even before Abraham purchased it. After Adam was banished from the Garden of Eden, G‑d Himself prepared a place near the entrance to the Garden, hewed out of rock, where he would bury Adam, the patriarchs and the matriarchs. The cave belonged to Ephron, but only Abraham was spiritually sensitive enough to know of its significance.
4. Jews have lived in Hebron for thousands of years.
In addition to the references in the Old Testament and archaeological finds, there are also written evidence found in both Jewish and non-Jewish historical documents, as well as in travelers’ records, starting from the 1st c. AD
5. Today, Jewish citizens of Israel are only allowed in 20% of the city of Hebron.
In 1997, Israel gave up control over most of the Hebron, ceding it to the local authorities as part of the so-called peace process. It retained control of the remaining 20% where the small Jewish population resides, an area known as H2.
In the Old Testament, he is mentioned 62 times. According to the Old Testament, Abraham, the founder of the Jewish people, paid 400 shekels of fine silver for the Cave of the Patriarchs, also called the Cave of Machpelah. Hebron is one of the oldest cities in the world, it was here that King David began to reign.
2. The Cave of the Patriarchs, (the Cave of Machpelah) is the oldest building in the world that has been functioning for more than 2000 years.
Here the forefathers and foremothers of the Jewish people were buried – Abraham and Sarah, Yitzhak and Rivka, Yaakov and Leah.
Muslims added minarets to the Jewish construction of The Cave of the Patriarchs to give the building a Muslim look. For 700 years of Muslim rule (the Mamluk, Turkish, and Jordanian), Jews were forbidden to enter The Cave of the Patriarchs.
3. It is considered that Adam and Eve were buried there first.
The cave held significance even before Abraham purchased it. After Adam was banished from the Garden of Eden, G‑d Himself prepared a place near the entrance to the Garden, hewed out of rock, where he would bury Adam, the patriarchs and the matriarchs. The cave belonged to Ephron, but only Abraham was spiritually sensitive enough to know of its significance.
4. Jews have lived in Hebron for thousands of years.
In addition to the references in the Old Testament and archaeological finds, there are also written evidence found in both Jewish and non-Jewish historical documents, as well as in travelers’ records, starting from the 1st c. AD
5. Today, Jewish citizens of Israel are only allowed in 20% of the city of Hebron.
In 1997, Israel gave up control over most of the Hebron, ceding it to the local authorities as part of the so-called peace process. It retained control of the remaining 20% where the small Jewish population resides, an area known as H2.
Despite having a Jewish connection to the holy city of Hebron for thousands of years, we have had to work very hard to keep it and strengthen it. It was only in 1967, following the six-day war that Israel regained control over the city, and the Jewish presence there could be re-established.
Over the years, a number of families have moved into the city and the thriving community of Kiryat Arba. Recently a significant addition was made to the site of the Cave of the Patriarchs, an elevator made it accessible to the elderly, disabled, pregnant and all those who were previously unable to visit and pray because of the number of steep stairs they needed to climb to reach the Tombs.
We are proud to work closely with hundreds of talented artisans from Judea and Samaria, Galilee, and Golan Heights, enabling access to thousands of wonderful products of the highest quality to share with you!
Over the years, a number of families have moved into the city and the thriving community of Kiryat Arba. Recently a significant addition was made to the site of the Cave of the Patriarchs, an elevator made it accessible to the elderly, disabled, pregnant and all those who were previously unable to visit and pray because of the number of steep stairs they needed to climb to reach the Tombs.
We are proud to work closely with hundreds of talented artisans from Judea and Samaria, Galilee, and Golan Heights, enabling access to thousands of wonderful products of the highest quality to share with you!
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Behind each product is a different pioneer with a family to provide for, workers to take care of and a community to contribute to. Every surprise box supports the livelihoods of hundreds of people! Ensuring that you feel genuine love from Israel and complete satisfaction with the products is our number one goal. So we are proud to see the 1500+ positive reviews on Trustpilot and the joyful feedback from subscribers which means we are getting it right!
