For over 3,700 years, Beit-El has stood as one of the most revered locations in the history of the Children of Israel and the Land of Israel. Situated in the hills of the Benjamin region, just north of Jerusalem, Beit-El served as a sacred place of encounter between God and the Biblical Patriarchs.
Although Abraham had first built an altar in the vicinity of Beit-El after entering the Land of Israel (Genesis 12:8), it was decades later that the site assumed its greatest Biblical significance. While fleeing from his brother Esau, Abraham’s grandson Jacob stopped there for the night. As he slept, he dreamed of a ladder extending from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. God then appeared to Jacob and declared, “The land upon which you are lying, to you I will give it and to your seed” (Genesis 28:13), reaffirming the covenant that had first been established with Abraham. Awakening in awe, Jacob proclaimed, “Surely the Lord is in this place,” named the site Beit-El, meaning “House of God,” and erected a memorial pillar to commemorate the Divine revelation (Genesis 28:16–19).
“The land upon which you are lying, to you I will give it and to your seed” (Genesis 28:13)
Many years later, after returning safely to the Land with his family, Jacob once again journeyed to Beit-El at God’s command. There he built an altar, and God appeared to him a second time, reaffirming his new name, Israel, and renewing the everlasting promise that his descendants would inherit the Land (Genesis 35:1–15). Through these extraordinary encounters, Beit-El became forever associated with God’s covenant and abiding presence among the Children of Israel.
Families today are fulfilling God’s promise by living in the very places Jacob lived and walked over 3,700 years ago.
The Families Restoring the Glory of Zion
For well over a decade, Alice Ziman has lived as an ardent and most passionate pioneer of Samaria, a lifepath she could not feel more grateful for.
“I am so blessed to be able to look out from my living room and see ancient Samaria,” Alice said excitedly.
“This is the heartland of the land promised to our forefathers!”
Before moving to Shavei Shomron, a small community in Samaria where she now resides with her husband and eight children, Alice was expelled from Homesh, one of the four communities in northern Samaria that were evacuated in 2005 as part of the “Disengagement Plan.”
Yet, her happiness and sense of contentment make it almost impossible to conceive that she ever went through such a painful experience.
“I have developed an incredible resilience,” Alice says, “by following the advice of my favorite verse in Scripture: ‘…open your mouth wide, and I shall fill it.’ (Psalms 81:11)”
In taking that verse to heart, Alice and her family moved to Shavei Shomron, aiming to help “fill” a need for the community to increase its numbers. Through it all, Alice could not feel more fulfilled.
“Life here is exceptional and we are on a most unique mission!”
By supporting pioneers in Samaria, YOU are playing a role in the continued restoration and rebuilding of the Biblical Heartland! To make a generous donation to the families in Samaria, please donate at: