Jerusalem, Israel - Aug. 17, 2023 - Yehuda and Shomron are situated on a mountain range in the biblical heartland of Israel, and as of January 2023, home to over half a million people. While Jordan occupied the area from 1948-1967, the territory on April 24, 1950, was renamed "West Bank."
Running from the south from Beer Sheva to Megiddo in the north thru these mountains was Derech Avot, the Road of the Patriarchs, traveled from the time of Avraham. We recently finished reading the parsha of how the 12 tribes of Israel were divided and settled in the area.
American Friends of Judea and Samria (AFJS), is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to increasing knowledge, and sharing the truth about the Israeli communities of Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley to the general public, and has started offering tours.
An opportunity to see the progress and changes in the Shomron and Benjamin Region was such a tour on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, led by professional tour guide David Ha'Ivri. Ha'Ivri, who lived in Kfar Tapuach for over 30 years before moving to Yerushalayim, knows the area extremely well.
Having participated in multiple earlier tours of Shomron it was fascinating to see the changes.
The first stop leaving Yerushalayim was with the Benjamin Regional Council. Here, Eliana Passentin proudly showed the development in the modern structure built two years ago and told of the municipality with 2000 employees. Investment in historical sites is important to attracting tourists to visit the area.
The area "C" towns though under military control, in most cases it is not noticeably different from living day-to-day life in other locations in Israel, we were told in the conference room. Where building permits might take 5 or 6 rounds, now only 1 or 2 are needed for approval to build in the area. However, the growth of illegal Arab building in area "C" is a problem.
In Kfar Tapuch, from a vantage point, we were able to see the important new bypass road under construction. The old Route 60 goes at a snail's pace thru the Arab town of Huwara. Any time of day is like a rush hour bumper to bumper on the narrow crowded space. After recent deadly terror attacks, armed IDF soldiers are visible in cement tower blocks, and even in an empty window frame from a spot above the street.
Always a pleasure to return to Elon Moreh and see the green vineyards of Kabir Winery, for lunch, and after lunch wine tasting, and again see the growth in the once barren hill.
There are signs passed along the road, red warnings for Israels to know of "dangerous" areas to enter. The "A" areas are under Palestinian Authority Control. The situation is complicated as the road through Huwara is under IDF control, but the surrounding shops are under PA control.
Security in the area is complicated as explained by Yaakov Dolev, Head of Security of the 6 regional councils, 4 cities, 150 towns, and every inch of fence and field between. Preventing fires and terror is a full time 24/7 job. The fire equipment and emergency personnel have to be ready to respond immediately. One of the hardest parts of security is having to leave one's family at home alone to respond in a time of danger Dolev explained. We were able to see the radar-monitored screens (no photos there) at work before returning to Yerushalayim.
From 2018-2022, Yigal Dilmoni was CEO of YESHA Council, the umbrella organization representing 25 Jewish communities throughout Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley. Dilmoni founded American Friends of Yehuda and Shomron (AFJS) and is currently a member of the organization's board.
Josh Hasten, since arriving on Aliyah from Indianapolis, Indiana in 2002, has worked in Israel’s public diplomacy efforts, with a focus on sharing the beauty of the land and people. Currently, he is the International Spokesperson for Gush Etzion and the Director of PR for AFJS. Among a long list of roles, he was a spokesperson for the Sderot Yeshiva and lead special tours for rabbis to see the situation of the growing needs of the Yeshiva under rocket fire from Gaza.
AFJS is currently organizing a mission to Israel – for leaders of all ages, public opinion shapers, and influencers, in partnership with the World Zionist Organization. They also participate in speaking engagements and parlor meetings in Israel and abroad in order, to tell the truth about Yehuda and Shomron.
The photo essay includes views along Derech Avot from the tour bus as we ventured north and south enjoying the air-conditioned comfort on a hot summer day. Once again seeing what is really happening does not always compare to what is on the evening news reports.
Bonus on the trip was the pleasure to meet Olim from Baltimore Baruch and Malka Sara Levine and the other participants from the US and Israel.
