Long before Jerusalem became the eternal capital of the Nation of Israel, Hebron stood as the spiritual cradle of the Children of Israel and the city in which their roots took hold in the Land of Canaan. The city’s very name, “Hebron,” containing the Hebrew word “chibur,” which means “connection” or “attachment,” reflects the deep and inseparable bond forged there between the Land of Israel and the Children of Israel beginning with their patriarchs.

Following the passing of his beloved wife Sarah, Abraham bought a permanent burial place, buying the Cave of Machpela from Ephron the Hittite for four hundred silver shekels (Genesis 23:16). By insisting on purchasing the cave, Abraham not only made the very first acquisition of the Land of Israel but symbolically bound his descendants with Hebron and the Land of Israel. Abraham would later be buried next to Sarah by his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Bequeathed to Abraham’s descendants who inherited his covenant, the Cave of Machpela also became the final resting place for his son Isaac and wife Rebecca, followed by Jacob and Leah. Today, it is called the Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs.

Hebron’s significant role in Jewish history would continue throughout the generations. It was in Hebron where King David first established his kingdom, reigning there for seven years before ascending to Jerusalem (II Samuel 5:5). In most fitting fashion, Hebron is also the resting place for Jesse, the father of King David and for Ruth the Moabite, whose unwavering devotion to her mother-in-law’s people merited her to become the ancestress of the Davidic dynasty.

To this very day, against the naysayers, Hebron stands as indisputable testimony to the roots of the people of Israel in the Biblical Heartland, embodying the unbreakable link connecting the Children of Israel to the Land of Israel! Please help support the community of Havat Gilad with your generous donation today!