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ZOA New England Ulpan classes
pan is to equip participants with the facts and
to provide them with an understanding of real
events and the real history of Israel, not an
abridged and falsified version that people often
like to cite as the truth. Many courses on the
history of Israel shockingly start in 1947, but
not ours – ZOA’s Israel Ulpan begins about
4,000 years ago – as we value the importance
of providing students with a thorough and
true understanding of how modern day Israel
and Zionism actually came into being. After
completing this multi-week course, participants
felt more comfortable to stand up and
tell the truth, as they were finally confident in
their knowledge and their ability to effectively
advocate.
Israel Ulpan Addresses the Biblical
History in the Land of Israel
David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister
of the State of Israel, said, “Three cities hold a
great and unique place in the ancient history
of our people: Shechem, Hebron, and Jerusalem…
Hebron is worthy to be Jerusalem’s sister.”
There has been a continuous Jewish presence
in the Land of Israel from ancient times until
today, and this Jewish presence began in Judea
and Samaria; this is the birthplace of the Jewish
nation.
In the days of the Patriarchs, we read of our
Biblical families in Shechem, which is in Samaria.
“Abram passed into the land as far as the
site of Shechem . . .” (Genesis 12:6).
In the third generation, the Patriarch Jacob
purchased land in Shechem, at the site where
his son Joseph would ultimately be buried. “Jacob
arrived…at the city of Shechem . . . He
bought the parcel of land . . . for one hundred
kesitahs.” (Genesis 33:18-19).
During the time of Joshua, the nation of Israel
gathered at Shechem to renew their covenant
with G-d. “Joshua assembled all the tribes
of Israel at Shechem . . . Joshua made a covenant
with the people that day . . . in Shechem.”
(Joshua 24:1-25).
Shechem was the place where King Solomon’s
son Rechoboam chose to be enthroned.
“Rechoboam went to Shechem, for all of Israel
had come to Shechem to make him king (I
Kings 12:1). With the subsequent division of
the kingdom, Jeroboam established Shechem
as his capital in the northern kingdom. “Jeroboam
built (up) Shechem in the Mountain of
Ephraim and dwelled in it . . .” (I Kings 12:25).
The roots of the Jewish people are found
throughout Judea and Samaria, each city and
holy site reflecting the history of the people of
Israel in the land of Israel.
The Matriarch Rachel was buried in Bethlehem,
a city in Judea. “Thus Rachel died and was
buried on the road to Ephrat, which is Bethlehem.
Jacob set up a monument over her grave;
it is the monument of Rachel’s grave until this
day.” (Genesis 35:19-20).
Centuries later, Boaz would meet Ruth in
Bethlehem and she would later give birth to the
line of the Davidic monarchy. King David was
their great-grandson.
For centuries, Jews have prayed in Bethlehem
at the holy site of Kever Rachel, Rachel’s Tomb.
In 1830, the Turks issued a royal decree recognizing
Jewish rights at this Jewish holy site.
The governor of Damascus instructed the Mufti
of Jerusalem that “the tomb of esteemed Rachel
. . . they (the Jews) are accustomed to visit
it from ancient days; and no one is permitted
to prevent them or oppose them (from doing)
this.”
This decree was a necessary response to the
harassment that Jews had endured when trying
to visit Rachel’s Tomb. In 1841, Sir Moses
Montefiore was granted permission to build a
room onto Rachel’s Tomb to protect both the
grave and those visiting it.
Bethel, another city within these regions of
Judea and Samaria, was called by the Patriarch
Jacob “the gate of heaven.” It was here that Jacob
dreamt of a ladder reaching to heaven.
During the time of the Judges, Deborah
would sit pronouncing judgments near Bethel
on Mount Ephraim.
Recognizing
that the history,
faith, religion,
culture
and identity
of the Jewish
people have always
been tied
to this land
which bears
its name, from
its ancient
name of Judea
to its modern
name of Israel,
the ZOA New
England Israel
Ulpan was a
celebration of
the people of
Israel in the
land of Israel.
New England