Awesome Photos of Kumah's Tu B'Shvat in Chevron (Hebron)

Kumah, Arutz Sheva, and the Hevron community, teamed up for a wonderful day of planting, praying, and prancing. The Hevron Community had received permission to plant in an area adjacent to the Cave of the Partriarchs (Ma'arat HaMachpela). And Kumah was there to join them! Besides planting trees in Hevron the trip also included an English tour of the Jewish community, lunch, and prayer at Ma'arat HaMachpela along with a surpise treat at the end. If you couldn't be there here's what you missed:



As planned we left from Yerushalayim around 9:30...



Yishai asked the group how many were recent olim...



And almost everyone raised their hand!



We picked up our tour guide for the day - Hebron spokesperson and expert, David Wilder!



First he showed us some of the excavations done recently. This staircase likely lead to the original gates of hebron (now covered by the street) - where the Torah says Avraham purchased Ma'arot Hamachpelah! Right on that spot!



But some things in history never change - like our enemies.



David brought the group to see the most amazing view of the Holy city.



In the center is Ma'arot Hamachpelah - burial place of our Fathers and Mothers. You can see how it is a valley compared with the rest of the city.



We also visited Kever Yishai and Rus. (Kumah helped clean it up at a past event.)



Then off to the Hadassah House. There's a museum in there along with a school...



And it was a regular school day.



In the stunning museum we learned all about history of Chevron.



From biblical times...



Till modern times.



Next we stopped by the "Avraham Avinu Synagogue" and learned how it got its name.



Several hundred years ago, on Yom Kippur the synagogue found itself a man short for the service. Unexpectedly an old man appeared and become "the tenth man." After Yom Kippur he vanished only to appear in a dream explaining he had been Avraham Avinu himself!



And what's a Kumah trip without a great lunch?



And of course we got to pray at Ma'arot Hamachpelah. David explained to us exactly where the actual cave is located (something I myself had long wondered about.)



Off to plant trees!!! We met up with the local Chevron IDF Army unit...



And heard divrie Torah. Just like these trees are now bare and will soon be full of fruit so will all of Eretz Yisrael that was once bare be flourishing! This is already happening!



We planted the Seven Spices. (Four are pictured here - three were in another spot.)



Including pomegranates.



Figs.



Date Palms. (Listed as Honey in the Torah.)



And of course, Grapevines!



We also planted some beautiful flowers!



Afterwards we had our very own Tu B'Shevat seder! See that gigantic Esrog. Yishai named him Yitzchok. See, yesterday Yishai's wife Malkah put the Esrog on the kitchen table along with a knife and was just about to cut some slices when Yishai came to the rescue. So that's why he was named Yitzchok. In any case - he was at the Seder because Yishai explained we are supposed to daven for a nice Esrog today. We did. (We then ate Yitzchok.)



And of course every Tu B'Shevat seder needs wine. Our's came from the Bet El Winery.



To top it all off as a surprise treat we got to visit Israeli Artist Boruch Nachshon!

You can view some of his works by clicking here.



And Yishai picked up a painting he ordered. Does he look excited?

It's hard to belive we packed this all into a one trip. But we did and we all had an amazing time. Best Tu B'Shvat ever!!!



So next time, don't miss out - be there too!

More Photos of the trip can be found at Point of Pinchas by clicking here.