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The encampment on the Dagan.

Eve: We did not think we would be up there for almost two godsend! Dozens of people started showing up with tents, and
weeks; we thought we would stay the night, have a demon- soon Dagan became a tent city. As more and more people came,
stration and get some press. Each morning we woke up and it was my job to coordinate who slept in each tent. I offered
wondered how we were still there. At the time, civil disobedience Rabbi Shlomo Riskin a quiet spot on the edge of the camp, but
and massive demonstrations hadn’t yet taken off. he wanted to stay in the middle of the camp. Wearing a suit and
tie, he opened up his Gemara and sat and learned!
Marilyn: When night came, it was frighteningly dark. My hus-
band Josh, Sammy Fenner and Dr. Baruch Sterman, who had It was Friday, and over a hundred people worked to prepare the
helped with the planning, came to do shemirah. Though many of camp for Shabbat. We set up a huge sukkah-like tent as a dining
the women carried pistols, we felt we needed more protection. room, and another as a shul. Rav Shimon Golan was our rabbinic
guide, and he helped us put up an eruv as well as an eruv techumin,
Eve: Nobody was fooling themselves that we were camping out so people could join us from the main part of Efrat on Shabbat.
at a park; Dagan is right next to southern Beit Lechem. People brought a Sefer Torah and food and drinks for everyone
Marilyn: We prepared press releases in advance to be given who would stay on the hill for Shabbat.
to the news agencies, flyers for Efrat, as well as a car with a We had a beautiful Shabbat. In the late afternoon, we saw a huge
megaphone to announce in Efrat: “we have liberated the Dagan group of people from Efrat coming to join us for Seudah Shlishit.
– come join us!” It’s a moment I’ll never forget.
Throughout that first night, people from all over the Gush joined
us on the hill. There was no electricity, so Ilan Paz from Alon You ended up staying on the Dagan hill for twelve days.
Shvut brought a gigantic floodlight and other equipment. I What did you do while you were up there?
remember Nadia got a call on her satellite phone. She answered: Sharon: I helped organize the food for a camp full of “residents”,
“Shalom, you’ve reached Givat HaDagan!” visitors and volunteers. We built a make-shift kitchen that was
Nadia: We began calling people to tell them we were on the always stocked. Other women organized activities for the kids,
Dagan, and little by little word spread. More and more people shiurim and tefillah. It really became a new community with an
came – there was electricity in the air. It was a moment of incredible devotion-to-Eretz-Yisrael vibe.
hitromemut ruach, of elevation of the spirit. Politicians came up all the time and asked us what we wanted.
Eve: We had this overwhelming feeling that maybe we’re Our response was always the same: “We want to hold on to our
making a difference, that we could actually do something to Land”. “Do you want a cemetery? Or a forest? Then you can
save a part of Eretz Yisrael. put up a caretaker house.” “NO! We want the Dagan to be part
of Efrat, a community with homes and children.” I think they
Marilyn: Early the next morning, we saw a group of Efrat were exasperated that we wouldn’t compromise. But we weren’t
women walking up the long path with coffee and cake – a politicians. We were women who loved the Land.

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