Upwards to 30,000 Jewish worshippers spent Saturday in Hebron on the occasion of the Chayei Sarah Torah portion from the Book of Genesis.
The Torah portion deals with Abraham’s purchase some 3,700 years ago of Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs, which, according to tradition, is the second-holiest Jewish site after the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Every year, tens and thousands of Jewish faithful spend Shabbat in the ancient city to observe the day of rest and recite the biblical passages.
Despite rainy weather, the annual religious event drew large crowds.
Israel Bramson, head of the Kiryat Arba-Hebron Local Council, told local media: “This year’s Shabbat ‘Chayei Sarah’ was a display of holiness, unity, and exceptional hospitality,” adding, “Thousands of families hosted with love, and the local community once again demonstrated its strength and its deep-rooted tradition.”
The local leader thanked the Israel Defense Forces, Israel Police and Border Police, “who safeguarded the security of the visitors with sensitivity and professionalism.”
During Shabbat, gunfire was reported from within the city of Hebron, Israel’s Channel 14 News reported. In response, an Israeli soldier fired into the air, after which security forces arrived and took control of the incident.
Following a probe, two suspects were arrested, Channel 14 reported.
In addition, as part of increased Israel Police enforcement, 11 suspects were arrested for involvement in violence and sexual harassment. Alcohol screenings were also conducted in the area, police said.
Last month, almost 50,000 Jews visited the Cave of the Patriarchs in the Judea city during the initial two days of the Sukkot festival on Oct. 7-8.
A total of 47,000 Jews visited Judaism’s second-holiest city during the first two days of the weeklong Feast of Booths—1.5 times as many worshippers as last year, data cited by Arutz 7 on Oct. 12 showed.
The Cave of the Patriarchs (“Mearat Hamachpela”) is the burial place of the Jewish patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca and Leah. According to the Bible, the cave was purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite more than 3,000 years ago.
Hebron is home to approximately 800 Jews—there is a waiting list to move there—who live surrounded by some 200,000 Palestinian Arabs.
