Committed to Eitam! Committed to Eretz Israel!
The heavenly symphony of Pesukei de-Zimra and the pounding of the tent hammer came together yesterday, Friday, the first day of Hol ha-Moed of Sukkot 5772 (2011), on the Eitam Hill – Efrat’s future neighborhood.
Hundreds of people from Efrat, Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, and Kiryat Arba-Hebron arrived for the festive prayer service led by the cantor Nehemiah Litke, accompanied by Steve Rodan on his guitar and the Simhat Beit ha-Sho’evah with the Me’Shir Zion band of Benzi Thee and Avi Schmell.
A sukkah was quickly erected by Efrat youth, with two shaded areas for the men and women’s sections of the synagogue. Despite this, many people remained under the blazing sun, and their numbers only increased the general joy. The visibility was excellent. The hill totally dominates the entire area. Herodion rose up to the east. The community of Tekoa sent greetings from its red roofs. To the north, Jerusalem confidently overlooks Bethlehem that bursts forth toward Eitam, smiling as it sees the children returning and curbing the Arab expansion. Efrat and the communities of Gush Etzion to the west – waiting for action, the awaited connection, for a united and strong bloc. Below us are Solomon’s Pools, that remind us that on the holiday we are judged for rain.
Efrat Local Council head Oded Revivi updated the residents on the struggle to settle the Eitam Hill, and promised to struggle for this hill, and to act to establish a farm until the establishment of the neighborhood.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the rabbi of Efrat, promised to exert pressure to complete the approach road to Eitam and to organize a youth camp on Eitam in the summer.Rabbi Riskin likewise spoke of the importance of the site, where it had been thought to erect the Temple.
Rabbi Shimon Golan, member of the Efrat Rabbinate, said, inter alia, that, with G-d’s help, a permanent sukkah and a permanent neighborhood would stand where the temporary sukkah was erected. Rabbi Shlomo Kimchi spoke of hiddur mitzvot, the magnificent performance of the commandments and that, with G-d’s help, we would celebrate on Eitam the establishment of a magnificent and beautiful neighborhood.
The children enjoyed the holiday activities – balloons, arts and crafts and inflatables.
The Committee for the Development of Eitam, in conjunction with the Efrat Local Council and the Women in Green movement, will continue to act for progress on Eitam with a permanent presence on Fridays. Classes and workshops will be held on the hill, and the land will be prepared for sowing with the anticipation that in the future there will be settlement continuity between Hebron and Jerusalem, as there is between Gederah and Haderah.
Attached are pictures of the event on Eitam- pictures names “gerson ellinson” are from the photographer Gershon Ellinson-please credit if used
In addition to the event in Eitam, a sukkah was erected at Netzer for the enjoyment of those walking along Derekh ha-Avot. The Sabbath eruv that was erected by the Gush Etzion Religious Council, headed by Rabbi Gideon Perl, will please G-d to an increased Jewish presence on the route.
This coming Friday, Isru Hag (the day after Simhat Torah), October 21, the Women in Green movement is organizing a tour of Givat Asaf, Migron, and the Ulpanah neighborhood in Beit El.
for details:
Yehudit Katsover – 050-7161818, Nadia Matar – 050-5500834
www.womeningreen.org
