Rachels Tomb
BH Rachels Tomb is located in Beit Lechem of Judea, just a few minute south of Jerusalem,.
וידאו על ידי עזרא רדגלי
Rachel's Tomb in the West Bank - MakeIsrael
Visiting Rachel's Tomb in the heart of the West Bank. Surrounded on all sides by the West Bank and the intimidating security barrier. A popular tourist destination, but security clearance is required to get in. Buses run to and near Rachel's tomb regularly.
Rachel's Tomb
You cannot visit Bethlehem without being aware of what Israelis call the security fence and Palestinians the apartheid wall. It does not follow the border between the West Bank and Israel. It is built deep into the Palestinian territory. When the last pilgrimage from Highbury went to the Holy Land my predecessor took people to see Rachel's tomb, one of the highlights of any visit to Bethlehem. Although it is well within the city of Bethlehem, when we visited the tomb it was not possible to see it.
Rachel's Tomb Could Become Under Muslim Authority!
Heidi Begley has a Facebook page for prayer called Rachel's Heart
Joseph's Tomb in Nablus (Shechem)
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Lema’an Tzion is a Biblical Ministry based in Kelowna, British Columbia and Israel.
Rachel's Tomb (Nov 4, 2014)
Rachel tomb
For many generations Rachel tomb on Bet lechem road symbolized the returned of the Jews to their homeland. 85 years old yaffa Tevua was in British prison in the 1940's, the site gave her inspiration to keep on with her struggle.
'Imma Rachel' Memorial Outdraws Rabin Event
Less than 25,000 people gathered to remember former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin in Tel Aviv Saturday night while more than 70,000 prayed at Rachel's Tomb.
The actual memorial dates follow each other by one day on the Hebrew calendar, but the major event for Rabin's memorial always is held the Saturday night before the actual date of his death, which this year is on Sunday. The anniversary of the death of Rachel also fell on Saturday this year, and tens of thousands of Jews traveled to the holy site after the Sabbath
The peace camp often uses the memory of Rabin to promote an agenda that would cede all of the land that was restored to Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967, including Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem.
However, Rabin told the Knesset concerning the Oslo Accords, At Rachel's Tomb, the principle was determined that worshippers and visitors would not encounter Palestinian police, neither on their approach to the Tomb nor during their prayers.
The main road to Rachel's Tomb from the Gilo area up to the tomb itself, will be the responsibility of the IDF. Guarding Rachel's Tomb compound will be the responsibility of the IDF (or the Border Police), including three guard-posts outside the compound, which overlook the parking lot. Moreover, security for the area will be provided by joint Israeli- Palestinian patrols activities, in order to preserve the peace and security of those coming to Rachel's Tomb.
The annual memorial for Rabin again ignored his achievements as a general in the Six-Day War and as a leader of the Labor party and instead focused around his murder.
The most controversial part of the memorial was the invitations and appearance of an official from Bnei Akiva, a leader in the national religious community that for years has been lumped with Rabin's murderer Yigal Amir for being responsible for the assassination.
Remembering the murder: fighting for democracy was the slogan for this year's memorial.
The annual ceremony was markedly different from the prior years, when Rabin's memory was used to promote concessions to the Palestinian Authority that he actually opposed when he was Prime Minister.
The general-turned-peacemaker inspired both admiration and hatred for signing the 1993 peace accord, and in 1994 shared the Nobel peace prize with President Shimon Peres and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Foreign media as well as Israel's mainstream media recall every year the Oslo Accords, which literally blew up in 2000 when Arafat launched the Second Intifada, also known as the Oslo War, which has continued for 12 years.
However, in a speech to the Knesset by Rabin in 1995 on the Oslo Accords, the former prime minister said, no to a Palestinian State: We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.
He also clearly stated The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six-Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.
Regarding Jerusalem, which the peace camp wants divided between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Rabin said, First and foremost, united Jerusalem, which will include both Ma'aleh Adumim and Givat Ze'ev -- as the capital of Israel, under Israeli sovereignty, while preserving the rights of the members of the other faiths, Christianity and Islam, to freedom of access and freedom of worship in their holy places, according to the customs of their faiths.
Thousands at Rachel's Tomb for Anniversary of Matriarch's Death
Tens of thousands of Jews are flocking to Rachel's Tomb on Monday night and are expected to continue to come to the site in large numbers throughout the day on Tuesday. The Egged bus company is running extra non-stop buses from Teddy's Stadium in southern Jerusalem and from the capital's religious neighborhoods to the tomb, working on an expanded schedule, as the area is closed to private vehicles.
Beginning Monday night and all day Tuesday is the 11th day of Cheshvan, the yahrzeit (anniversary of death) of the biblical Matriarch Rachel, whose tomb is located on the road from Bethlehem to Efrata, where she died, rather than in Hevron where the other three matriarchs are buried with their husbands.
The Jews prayed at her tomb on their way to the first exile in Babylonia after the Holy Temple's destruction in 586 BCE, so that the site symbolizes the pain of exile and the return from exile of the Jewish people. The prophet Jeremiah, in chapter 31, describes how Rachel's voice is heard weeping bitterly over the exile of her people and tells of G-d's promise to her that they will return one day.
Rachel was the Patriarch Jacob's beloved, but had to wait more than seven years to marry him and then stayed silent while her father saw to it that he wed her sister Leah first. While Leah had several sons, Rachel was barren for the first years of her marriage, and then died while giving birth to her second son Benjamin, so that she did not live to raise her children.
Women, especially, identify with her life story and have made the tomb a site to which they come all year to pray for their families. In the women's section, the wedding gown of Navah Appelbaum, murdered in Jerusalem by terrorists the night before her wedding, served for years as a curtain.
Rabbanit Tzvia Eliyahu, widow of the late Sephardic Chief Rabbi Mordecai Eliyahu, held a prayer evening in Rachel's memory for hundreds of women, at which she said a special prayer her husband had written for the freedom of Jonathan Pollard, whose 29th year of incarceration also begins on the date of Mother Rachel's yahrzeit.
Today, Rachel's Tomb is located within Bethlehem city limits, but is less than a kilometer south of the Jerusalem municipal border and is entered only from Jerusalem on a road protected by high concrete walls, so that visiting it is convenient and secure.
Recently renovated, the tomb has been recognized for more than 1700 years as that of the Matriarch Rachel, although there are some scholars who place it elsewhere. Slightly over a decade ago, Muslims began calling it the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque, although none have been known to request to pray there throughout the 46 years since Israel's control of the site.
The constant presence of Jewish worshipers that fill the tomb's area all through the year did not stop UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization from passing a resolution in 2010 stating that the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque/Rachel's Tomb [is] an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories and that any unilateral action by the Israeli authorities is to be considered a violation of international law.
Israel's Prime Minister's Office responded that the attempt to detach the Nation of Israel from its heritage is absurd, adding that it is sad that an organization that was established for the purpose of promoting the legacy of historic sites around the world tries, for political reasons, to uproot the ties between the People of Israel and their legacy. The State of Israel, as opposed to our neighbors, will continue to maintain freedom of worship for all religions in these sites.
Davidi Perl, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Authority, has issued an official request to the Ministers of Defense and the Interior, to the Deputy Minister of Religion and the Rabbi of the Kotel for Rachel's Tomb to be declared a part of Israeli Gush Etzion. He added that the tomb is now under IDF jurisdiction, but that even its optimum upkeep would be ensured if it were under Israeli civilian jurisdiction with the IDF responsible for security. .
Rachel's Tomb
This is a visit to Rachel's tomb in Bethlehem. Rachel's greatest desire and purpose in life was to protect and defend her children from evil. That's why she evokes the element of protection of the universe.
She gave us the Red String. Kabbalists wear it for protection against the 'evil eye' -- that look or thought we consciously or even unconsciously give each other that keeps us away from our potential. Each piece of Red String is taken to Rachel's tomb and imbued with the essence of protection.
The energy here was intense. Visitors were not especially happy (or remotely happy!) Much heavier energy than I expected.
At Rachel's Tomb, Bethlehem
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At Rachel's Tomb, Bethlehem · Sheila Peltz Weinberg
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Rachel's Tomb and Hebron 2 10 12 -
A montage of images accompanied by the wonderful rendition of psalms by the late Kiki Arochas (sephardic.com).
Visiting kever Rachel for the first time
Tell the world: The Rachel's Tomb case - slideshow
How the Rachel's Tomb area of historic Bethlehem has been adversely affected by the construction of an Israeli settlement, military base and the notorious concrete 'security barrier' which snakes through the district. The biblical road into Bethlehem has become a concrete walled corridor.
Prophet Joshua's tomb in Jordan
History
Joshua was a popular leader, and possibly the prince, of the tribe of Ephraim at the time of the Exodus. A prominent figure in the flight from bondage and subsequent conquest of Canaan, he is arguably the third most important figure in the Book of Exodus after Moses and Aaron. He was one of Moses’ chief followers from the beginning, and was the only person to accompany him up onto Mount Sinai when God bestowed the Ten Commandments on the Israelite prophet.
Joshua’s service became even more important during the forty year sojourn in the wilderness. He served as both a military commander and a spy for the Israelites. Along with Caleb of the tribe of Judah, he advised the Israelites to invade Canaan from the south. Although they were voted down by the other tribes, it was their courage and leadership at this time which later led to the preeminence of the tribes of Ephraim and Judah. Throughout the rest of their lives, the two men were both friends and rivals, though Joshua was always the more prominent of the pair. Just before Moses died upon Mount Nebo, it was Joshua and not Caleb that he chose to lead the people into Canaan.
The subsequent military campaigns of Joshua in Canaan have since become legendary, beginning with his miraculous triumph over the mighty city of Jericho. Joshua spent the remainder of his years conquering the petty kingdoms of Canaan, dividing the lands among the Israelite tribes and overseeing the settlement of the cities of the territory of Ephraim. He established his own home at Timnath-Heres. There he later died and was buried in what was probably Israel’s first state funeral.
As much as Moses was the savior of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt, Joshua was the great hero who united the people and established Israel as a nation. His tomb became a revered place, and was remembered and visited by pilgrims even in later years when the other great holy cities of Ephraim had waned in importance. The ancient town of Timnath-Heres, now the Palestian city of Kifl Hares, still receives many visitors at what is the arguably the greatest surviving shrine of the Exodus period.
Visiting
The Tomb of Joshua is a surprisingly unassuming place. Occupying only a small street corner in the middle of downtown Kifl Hares, it can be easily mistaken for a walled compound of a typical residence of the neighborhood, such as might belong to a local middle class citizen. Unfortunately, this sacred Jewish site is usually best recognized by the Arabic graffiti which is usually scrawled all over the outer walls.
The main building is a very simple affair: a white structure with a small dome, reminiscent of the Tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem. The grave of Joshua, and possibly several other prominent Exodus leaders, lie beneath the dome
Protest at Rachel's Tomb ahead of Madonna's arrival
1. Wide exterior of Rachel's Tomb
2. Israeli army jeep passing by
3. Sign reading 'Rachel's Tomb'
4. Various of protestors with flag reading 'Peace' in Arabic and Hebrew
5. Israeli troops around Rachel's Tomb
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Larry Fatah, World Council Of Churches, Ecumenical Programme:
There's not a problem with her (Madonna) spreading the word of Kabbalah. There's nothing wrong with that. The issue is, as a public personality, she should be aware of the fact that there's a lot going on here and that this is not a place that's just a holy site, it's now become a political situation and there's a wall going up right there to cut people off from their homes. This is Bethlehem and people from this side will not be able to get into their home and they can't get into Jerusalem on that side, so they're being caged in and she should be aware of that.
7. Israeli soldiers next to protestors from Mahsoum Watch (left wing Israeli group)
8. Close up of protestors singing
9. Protestors holding placards
10. Close up of placard reading 'It's the occupation, stupid! (crossed out) Madonna!'
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Angela Godfrey, Mahsoum Watch:
I think that if she's going into Kabbalah, as I understand it, Kabbalah is about awareness, Kabbalah is about doing your own 'tikoum olam' (internal corrections), to make your own internal corrections in order to correct the world. If she's learning awareness then I think perhaps it's useful for her, as an international figure, to be aware of what she's doing politically.
12. Close up of placard reading 'Rachel's Tomb (Madonna) is a new settlement'
13. People going into Rachel's Tomb
14. Wide of protestors
STORYLINE:
Protestors from a left wing Israeli group gathered at Rachel's Tomb near Bethlehem on Wednesday ahead of Madonna's expected visit to Israel and the West Bank.
Protestors said they wanted to make Madonna aware of the political situation on the ground ahead of her visit to Rachel's Tomb, the traditional burial place of the biblical matriarch in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
Madonna, a student of Jewish mysticism, was due to arrive in Israel for the Jewish New Year, which begins at sundown on Wednesday.
Israelis have reacted with a mix of excitement, bewilderment and anger to the five-day visit, which will include trips to graves of rabbinical sages.
Madonna isn't Jewish, but has taken an interest in Kabbalah,or Jewish mysticism, in recent years.
She has adopted the Hebrew name Esther, wears a red thread on her wrist to ward off the evil eye, and reportedly refuses to perform on the Jewish Sabbath.
She has also incorporated Jewish symbols into some of her music videos, to the consternation of many religious leaders.
The organisation hosting her in Israel ordered news reporters to wear white clothes and not to take notes when covering Madonna's appearances during the New Year's holiday, or Rosh Hashanah.
Madonna is joining a group of some 2,000 other students of Kabbalah from 22 countries, according to the Kabbalah Centre which is sponsoring the trip.
Designer Donna Karan and Marla Maples, an ex-wife of Donald Trump, are among the other celebrities expected to take part in the visit.
Police said some one-thousand officers were being deployed for the Kabbalah delegation, but no special arrangements are being made for Madonna; she will be accompanied by private security guards.
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candle light vigil rachel's tomb
In Bethlehem/Palestine, a solidarity candle vigil is held under the watchtower near the Wall around Rachels Tomb. It is organized by the Arab Educational Institute together with a visiting delegation of Pax Christi UK.
Protest in Bethlehem over Trump Jerusalem decision
(22 Dec 2017) Palestinians protested against the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, outside Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem following Friday prayers.
A UN General Assembly resolution on Thursday called the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital null and void.
The General Assembly voted 128-9 with 35 abstentions in favour of the resolution.
Trump's declaration on December 6 departed from decades of US policy, and international consensus, that the fate of Jerusalem should be decided through negotiations.
Jerusalem lies at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel sees the city as its undivided capital.
The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, home to key Muslim, Jewish and Christian holy sites, as their capital.
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Tatty Driving to Kever Rachel 1
Dividing Jerusalem Puts Holy Sites in Danger
Dr. Dore Gold, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs warns of the vulnerability of holy sites if part of Jerusalem is turned over to the Palestinian Authority. This clip is a part of the Case for Israel movie.
The Palestinian Authority and the Jewish Holy Sites in the West Bank: Rachel's Tomb as a Test Case
By Nadav Shragai
-Rachel's Tomb lies on the northern outskirts of Bethlehem, about 460 meters (about 500 yards) south of the Jerusalem municipal border, and for more than 1,700 years has been identified as the tomb of the matriarch Rachel. The building with the dome and olive tree became a Jewish symbol, appearing in thousands of drawings, photographs, and works of art and depicted on the covers of Jewish holy books. However, today the little domed structure has been encased in a sleeve of reinforced concrete with firing holes and defensive trenches, and covered with camouflage netting.
-According to the armistice agreement signed on April 3, 1949, Jordan was to allow Israel free access to the Holy Places and cultural institutions and use of the cemetery on the Mount of Olives. In practice, Jordan did not allow Jews free access to their holy places, and for 19 years, until 1967, Jews could not go to the Western Wall, Rachel's Tomb, the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus), or other sites sacred to Jews which remained in Jordanian hands.
-The Gaza-Jericho Agreement signed in May 1994 stated: The Palestinian Authority shall ensure free access to all holy sites in the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area. The Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, signed on the White House lawn on September 28, 1995, dealt with the status of 23 places holy to Jews. The Palestinians promised to assure freedom of access to those places. However, the Palestinians either made access extremely difficult or prevented it entirely.
-In October 2000, Joseph's Tomb in Nablus was attacked, set ablaze and desecrated. Druze Border Police Corporal Yusef Madhat bled to death on October 4 because Palestinians refused to allow his evacuation. The Shalom al Israel synagogue in Jericho was also attacked. Holy books and relics were burned, and the synagogue's ancient mosaic was damaged.
-In 2000, after hundreds of years of recognizing the site as Rachel's Tomb, Muslims began calling it the Bilal ibn Rabah mosque - a name that has since entered the national Palestinian discourse. The Palestinian claim ignored the fact that Ottoman firmans (decrees) gave Jews in the Land of Israel the right of access to the site at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Israel's experience since the Oslo agreements has shown that the responsibility for Jewish holy sites or the roads leading to them should remain in Israeli hands.
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