Tens of thousands of yidden from Eretz Yisrael and around the world were hosted in Chevron this past shabbos, parshas Chayei Sara.

Marking a change, the entire Machpelah as available to mispalalim, including Ulam Yitzchak (Hall), which sadly is usually closed to Jews and maintained as a mosque, a government decision that followed the February 1994 shooting attack in which Dr. Baruch Goldstein killed 29 Muslims.

From the perspective of the Chevron community, it was simply marvelous, hosting over 20,000 Jews from all walks of life, kippot srugot to shtreimals. It was a shabbos of achdus that was blessed with rain as well, and while the showers may have made some of the logistical details more difficult, the bracha from shamayim was welcomed by all.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)