A salute to photographer Gershon Ellinson in the City of the
Patriarchs - in the Machpela Visitors' Center
Sunday this week, the fifth light of Hanukkah, the exhibition of
photographer Gershon Ellinson of the beginnings of the Jewish
settlement in Kiryat Arba-Hebron opened in a gala event attended by
some 300 people.
The exhibition, in the Machpela Visitors' Center at the foot of the
Cave of Machpela, will remain open to the public in the coming months.
Admission is free.
The exhibition contains historical photographs of the first steps in
the return to the City of the Patriarchs after the Six Day War,
beginning in the Park Hotel, continuing with the stay in the Military
Administration building, the construction of Kiryat Arba, the
uncovering of the Avraham Avinu synagogue, the women's entry to Beit
Hadassah, and more.
Gershon Ellinson, who at the time was a student in the Kiriat Shmuel
yeshivah, came to encourage the settlers in the Park Hotel on Passover
1968, was caught up in the great spirit, and stayed.
Gershon is always armed with his camera, and captured historical
moments and chapters from the life in Hebron.
A look at the exhibition reveals the fist settlers - young, beautiful,
filled with ideological fervor. Most continue with their activity to
the present, including Rabbi Moshe Levinger - the father of the Jewish
settlement in Hebron, Rabbi Eliezer Waldman - the head of the Nir
yeshivah, Benny Katsover - afterwards one of the trailblazers to
Samaria, Zvi Katsover - four-term head of the Kiriat Arba-Hebron Local
Council, Eliakim Haetzni, Shimon Yitzhaki, and many others who
continue to act vigorously to expand our possession of Eretz Israel.
The historical and moving event that was organized by the Machpela
Visitors Center together with Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women in
Green), was graced by the presence of Rabbi Gideon Perl - the Gush
Etzion regional rabbi, Geula Cohen - Israel Prize laureate, Professors
for a Strong Israel, and many visitors from throughout Israel.
The organizers declared, "This isn't a retrospective and nostalgic
exhibition summing up 43 years of settlement, but rather one of
learning the way, an example of 'the acts of the fathers mark the way
for the sons.'"
Looking from the side, one immediately spotted the veteran activists
who identified themselves in the photographs and who related stories
from those days, enveloped by a sense of satisfaction.
They truly made history! The exhibition is a salute to them all.
One part of the exhibition brings the story, in pictures and in words,
of what was then called "the Settlers restaurant", today the
"Machpela Visitors Center" at the foot of the Machpela Cave.
Below is the summary of its history:
The Settlers' Restaurant -- Today's Machpela Visitors Center
During Av 5728 (August 1968), the first Jewish wedding was celebrated
in Hebron following its liberation in the Six Day War. The groom,
Benny Katsover, had been among Rav Levinger's group of families and
bachelors who had come to spend Passover in the Park Hotel in Hebron.
After one month, the group moved to the compound that housed the IDF
military headquarters in Hebron, and Benny had been living there since
then. Now having found a bride, the couple decided to be married in
the headquarters courtyard. A thousand guests were expected, and prior
to the ceremony they planned to pray in the Cave of the Patriarchs.
A booth with drinks and sandwiches was set up for the visitors near
the Cave. The booth was left standing after the wedding, and the next
day it became an improvised kiosk justified by the claim that the
masses of visitors streaming to the holy site needed to be able to
purchase kosher food. The military governor demanded that the booth be
disassembled, and when his demand was ignored, he personally
overturned it and issued an eviction order against the three Jews who
had manned it.
Government ministers Yigal Alon, Menachem Begin, and Zerach Verhaftig
treated the eviction order as an opportunity to raise the matter of
Jewish settlement in Hebron anew, and the government decided to
approve the establishment of a restaurant, art gallery, and souvenir
shop near the Cave. Yigal Alon was also given the task of looking into
the possibility of establishing a large Jewish community in Hebron.
The restaurant eventually became one of the prominent symbols of the
Jewish return to Hebron. It was the first Jewish wedge in ancient
Hebron, built years before the events of Beit Hadassah that led to the
establishment of a permanent community in the city. The Settlers'
Restaurant's early days were eventful and in addition to the many
visitors, included frequent "visits" by local Arabs in the form of
demonstrations, arson, hidden explosives, and even grenades.
Gershon Ellinson was one of the workers at the restaurant from its
earliest days, and he photographed these incidents and events as they
unfolded. We have the privilege of presenting Mr. Ellinson's exciting
and historic pictures to the public for the first time.
The 18 photographs by Gershon Ellinson of the Settlers Restaurant
depict the following scenes:
1) The first wedding in the Military Administration building in
Hebron: Benny and Binah Katsover, August 1968
2) The stand with drinks near the Machpela that was set up for the
guests and was overturned by the military governor
3) The Settlers' Restaurant, view from outside
4) The Settlers' Restaurant - patronized year-round by many visitors
from Israel and abroad
5) Affixing a mezuzah at the Settlers' Restaurant by Akele Geniram, 1969
6) Yigal Allon visits the Settlers' Restaurant, 1969
7) Amos Ben-Sheffer, Rabbi Moshe Levinger's right hand, at the
entrance to the Settlers' Restaurant on its first day, 1969
8) Rabbi Levinger, Gershon Ellison, Dr. Simons, at the entrance to the
restaurant
9) Arab demonstrators approaching the restaurant, 1976
10) Stone throwing by Arabs: smashed windows of the Settlers'
Restaurant pickup truck, 1976
11) IDF soldiers preparing to disperse an Arab demonstration, 1976
12) Bomb explosion in the Settlers' Restaurant. Zvi Katsover, one of
the restaurant's owners since 1971, points to the destruction and
damages in the souvenir store, 1977
13) Bomb explosion damage
14) The response to the stone throwing and bombs: Zvi Katsover builds
a second story to the restaurant
15) Gershon Ellinson pouring cement for the floor of the second story, 1983
16) Second story of the Settlers' Restaurant under construction
17) Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach visiting the Settlers' Restaurant.
18) The Belzer Rebbe visiting the souvenir store
In addition to the photographs of the history of "The Settlers
Restaurant" , the exhibition has tens of additional pictures depicting
the other chapters of the history of Kiryat Arba Hevron. Every visitor
to this exhibition will be strengthened and imbued with the spirit of
those who fought for the Jewish return to our G-d given Biblical
Heartland. A must see for each and one of us, whether we live in
Israel or abroad.
With love for Israel,
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar
Photos of the exhibition will be posted here:
http://www.womeningreen.org/
==============================
Patriarchs - in the Machpela Visitors' Center
Sunday this week, the fifth light of Hanukkah, the exhibition of
photographer Gershon Ellinson of the beginnings of the Jewish
settlement in Kiryat Arba-Hebron opened in a gala event attended by
some 300 people.
The exhibition, in the Machpela Visitors' Center at the foot of the
Cave of Machpela, will remain open to the public in the coming months.
Admission is free.
The exhibition contains historical photographs of the first steps in
the return to the City of the Patriarchs after the Six Day War,
beginning in the Park Hotel, continuing with the stay in the Military
Administration building, the construction of Kiryat Arba, the
uncovering of the Avraham Avinu synagogue, the women's entry to Beit
Hadassah, and more.
Gershon Ellinson, who at the time was a student in the Kiriat Shmuel
yeshivah, came to encourage the settlers in the Park Hotel on Passover
1968, was caught up in the great spirit, and stayed.
Gershon is always armed with his camera, and captured historical
moments and chapters from the life in Hebron.
A look at the exhibition reveals the fist settlers - young, beautiful,
filled with ideological fervor. Most continue with their activity to
the present, including Rabbi Moshe Levinger - the father of the Jewish
settlement in Hebron, Rabbi Eliezer Waldman - the head of the Nir
yeshivah, Benny Katsover - afterwards one of the trailblazers to
Samaria, Zvi Katsover - four-term head of the Kiriat Arba-Hebron Local
Council, Eliakim Haetzni, Shimon Yitzhaki, and many others who
continue to act vigorously to expand our possession of Eretz Israel.
The historical and moving event that was organized by the Machpela
Visitors Center together with Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women in
Green), was graced by the presence of Rabbi Gideon Perl - the Gush
Etzion regional rabbi, Geula Cohen - Israel Prize laureate, Professors
for a Strong Israel, and many visitors from throughout Israel.
The organizers declared, "This isn't a retrospective and nostalgic
exhibition summing up 43 years of settlement, but rather one of
learning the way, an example of 'the acts of the fathers mark the way
for the sons.'"
Looking from the side, one immediately spotted the veteran activists
who identified themselves in the photographs and who related stories
from those days, enveloped by a sense of satisfaction.
They truly made history! The exhibition is a salute to them all.
One part of the exhibition brings the story, in pictures and in words,
of what was then called "the Settlers restaurant", today the
"Machpela Visitors Center" at the foot of the Machpela Cave.
Below is the summary of its history:
The Settlers' Restaurant -- Today's Machpela Visitors Center
During Av 5728 (August 1968), the first Jewish wedding was celebrated
in Hebron following its liberation in the Six Day War. The groom,
Benny Katsover, had been among Rav Levinger's group of families and
bachelors who had come to spend Passover in the Park Hotel in Hebron.
After one month, the group moved to the compound that housed the IDF
military headquarters in Hebron, and Benny had been living there since
then. Now having found a bride, the couple decided to be married in
the headquarters courtyard. A thousand guests were expected, and prior
to the ceremony they planned to pray in the Cave of the Patriarchs.
A booth with drinks and sandwiches was set up for the visitors near
the Cave. The booth was left standing after the wedding, and the next
day it became an improvised kiosk justified by the claim that the
masses of visitors streaming to the holy site needed to be able to
purchase kosher food. The military governor demanded that the booth be
disassembled, and when his demand was ignored, he personally
overturned it and issued an eviction order against the three Jews who
had manned it.
Government ministers Yigal Alon, Menachem Begin, and Zerach Verhaftig
treated the eviction order as an opportunity to raise the matter of
Jewish settlement in Hebron anew, and the government decided to
approve the establishment of a restaurant, art gallery, and souvenir
shop near the Cave. Yigal Alon was also given the task of looking into
the possibility of establishing a large Jewish community in Hebron.
The restaurant eventually became one of the prominent symbols of the
Jewish return to Hebron. It was the first Jewish wedge in ancient
Hebron, built years before the events of Beit Hadassah that led to the
establishment of a permanent community in the city. The Settlers'
Restaurant's early days were eventful and in addition to the many
visitors, included frequent "visits" by local Arabs in the form of
demonstrations, arson, hidden explosives, and even grenades.
Gershon Ellinson was one of the workers at the restaurant from its
earliest days, and he photographed these incidents and events as they
unfolded. We have the privilege of presenting Mr. Ellinson's exciting
and historic pictures to the public for the first time.
The 18 photographs by Gershon Ellinson of the Settlers Restaurant
depict the following scenes:
1) The first wedding in the Military Administration building in
Hebron: Benny and Binah Katsover, August 1968
2) The stand with drinks near the Machpela that was set up for the
guests and was overturned by the military governor
3) The Settlers' Restaurant, view from outside
4) The Settlers' Restaurant - patronized year-round by many visitors
from Israel and abroad
5) Affixing a mezuzah at the Settlers' Restaurant by Akele Geniram, 1969
6) Yigal Allon visits the Settlers' Restaurant, 1969
7) Amos Ben-Sheffer, Rabbi Moshe Levinger's right hand, at the
entrance to the Settlers' Restaurant on its first day, 1969
8) Rabbi Levinger, Gershon Ellison, Dr. Simons, at the entrance to the
restaurant
9) Arab demonstrators approaching the restaurant, 1976
10) Stone throwing by Arabs: smashed windows of the Settlers'
Restaurant pickup truck, 1976
11) IDF soldiers preparing to disperse an Arab demonstration, 1976
12) Bomb explosion in the Settlers' Restaurant. Zvi Katsover, one of
the restaurant's owners since 1971, points to the destruction and
damages in the souvenir store, 1977
13) Bomb explosion damage
14) The response to the stone throwing and bombs: Zvi Katsover builds
a second story to the restaurant
15) Gershon Ellinson pouring cement for the floor of the second story, 1983
16) Second story of the Settlers' Restaurant under construction
17) Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach visiting the Settlers' Restaurant.
18) The Belzer Rebbe visiting the souvenir store
In addition to the photographs of the history of "The Settlers
Restaurant" , the exhibition has tens of additional pictures depicting
the other chapters of the history of Kiryat Arba Hevron. Every visitor
to this exhibition will be strengthened and imbued with the spirit of
those who fought for the Jewish return to our G-d given Biblical
Heartland. A must see for each and one of us, whether we live in
Israel or abroad.
With love for Israel,
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar
Photos of the exhibition will be posted here:
http://www.womeningreen.org/
==============================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
mailto:wfit2@womeningreen.org
http://www.womeningreen.org
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