Page 26 - HaMizrachiChayei Sarah AUS 2020

THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND

Rivi Frankel

The Old Jewish Cemetery

of Chevron

hile Chevron is most famous Like the pilgrimage that takes place When her father became Rebbe, he
for being home to Ma’arat on the Shabbat of Parashat Chayei continued to follow his father’s lead
WHaMachpelah, many people Sarah, albeit on a smaller scale, hun- in supporting the Jews of Chevron by
also take the opportunity to visit the dreds of people flock to the ancient sending emissaries from Lubavitch
Old Jewish cemetery when they find Chevron cemetery every winter to pay to strengthen and build the Jewish
themselves in this holy city. Located tribute to a modern matriarch. Even community. It has been almost 30
up the hill from the Avraham Avinu on a quiet day, it is easy to find the years since the first families were sent,
neighborhood and below the ancient grave of Rabbanit Menucha Rochel when Menucha Rochel was able to
Tel Rumeida, the Chevron cemetery is Slonim in the Chabad portion of the emigrate to Chevron, at the age of 47,
the eternal resting place of a number of cemetery (a section located around with her husband, Rabbi Ya’akov Kuli
lesser-known Jewish heroes. the corner from the main cemetery Slonim.
entrance).
Jewish doctor and geographer, Regarded as a matriarch of the
Yitzchak HaCohen ben Moshe, better Chabad dynasty, Menucha Rochel
known by his pen name, Ishtori earned her reputation as a holy and
Haparchi, made note of the ceme- wise woman, quickly making herself
tery as early as 1322. Famous Rabbis, an irreplaceable part of the com-
including the Reishit Chochma – munity. Community members and
Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas, the Sdei strangers alike sought out her advice,
Chemed – Rabbi Meir Simcha of comfort and blessings. Brides would
Dvisk and Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi, visit her before their weddings, asking
were buried in the cemetery. There
are also four kivrei achim, mass for her advice and blessing. People
graves, where 59 victims of the 1929 suffering from both physical and
riots were laid to rest. spiritual ailments sought her coun-
sel. Like Sarah Imeinu, for whom
When Jews began to return to the Born in Russia in 1798, a daughter Chevron is an eternal resting place,
area following the Six-Day War, their of the second Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbanit Menucha Rochel’s home in
request to reopen the cemetery for Rabbi Dov Ber Schneerson, Menucha Chevron was open to all who came
burial was denied. That changed in Rochel entered the world on the same to seek her comfort. And like Sarah,
1975, when Sarah Nachshon, deter- day her holy grandfather, the Ba’al when Menucha passed away on the
mined to bury her child in the city HaTanya, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of 24th of Shevat, 1888, at the age of
where his namesake was buried, Liadi, was released from prison. Sen- 90, Chevron became her final resting
carried the body of her infant son, tenced for treason for his efforts to place. Every year on that day, hun-
Avraham Yedidya, past the soldiers financially support the Jewish com- dreds of people come to pay tribute to
and blockades. After his funeral, the munity in Chevron (which was in a woman who not only helped main-
ancient cemetery began to undergo the Ottoman Empire at the time, and tain Chevron’s continuity but who,
restoration under the leadership of therefore sending money there was a in so many ways, also upheld what it
Professor Ben Zion Tavger, a refuse- crime against Russia), the Alter Rebbe means to be a mother of the Jewish
nik who made aliyah to Chevron, had spent many weeks in jail, finally people.
and the local residents were allowed being released on the 19th of Kislev.
to resume use of the cemetery, which She was named Menucha in hopes
continues to today. This past Tish- that she would continue to provide Rivi Frankel is a tour guide in Israel working
rei, activist and Chevron community comfort to others just as the day of with individuals and groups from all back-
leader, Rabbanit Miriam Levinger, was her birth had provided comfort to her grounds, and particularly with children and
laid to rest there. family and her grandfather’s followers. teens.

26 |