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THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND PLACES IN ISRAEL

Rivi Frankel

The Old Jewish Cemetery

of Chevron

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

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