![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/IMG_3535.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSoon we were on our way to the West Bank city of Hebron, one of the four Holy Cities of the Jewish faith, along with Jerusalem, Tiberius, and Tsfat (Safed) because of its association with Abraham. \u00a0Hebron, means “friend” <\/em>in Hebrew, \u00a0and is translated to Al-Khalil<\/em> or “friend of God” in Arabic. \u00a0Hebron is an ancient city with its history reaching back 5,000 years. \u00a0Today, Hebron\u00a0is prosperous and thriving with a population of about 250,000 people. \u00a0It’s the largest city and the commercial capital of the West Bank.<\/p>\n The sign in the photo above reminded me of the division of the West Bank into three “administrative areas.” \u00a0Area A is exclusively administered by the Palestinian Authority; Area B is administered by both the Palestinian Authority and Israel; Area C – which contains Israeli settlements – is administered by Israel. \u00a0The sign informed us that we were entering Area A.<\/p>\n Our first stop was the Hebron Glass & Ceramic factory owned and operated by the same family since 1890. \u00a0The city is famous throughout Israel and Palestine for ceramics and glassblowing, among other trades.<\/p>\n After we watched the glassblowers at work, we continued to an archaeological site called Bir Haram Al-Rama (Mamre)\u00a0<\/em>which was first excavated in the 1920s. \u00a0It is believed to be the site where Abraham received three angels announcing the future birth of his son Issac. \u00a0It might also have been a resting place for Joseph and Mary on their way to Egypt.<\/p>\n King Herod the Great built an impressive complex on the site during the Roman period. \u00a0A century later, the site became one of the main market places in Palestine. \u00a0By 614 AD, a monastery was built here. \u00a0A roofed cistern with stone basins is visible in one corner of the site.<\/p>\n The happy sounds of school boys playing soccer in a playground behind a wall, echoed across the archeological site and reminded me of the present. \u00a0I wondered what the boys thought about the site, since it was part of their daily experiences. \u00a0What is history, after all? \u00a0History is supposed to inform, support, and enrich the present. \u00a0(?)<\/p>\n The Old City of Hebron was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in July 2017. \u00a0Given its geographic location at historic crossroads in the center of Palestine, Hebron\/al-Khalil was a major center of trade and culture throughout history. \u00a0What better place to see commercial enterprise than The Souq <\/em>in the Old City?<\/p>\n We walked through the Souq Eskafiya\u00a0<\/em>in the Old City, which means “Cobbler’s Market” named for the shoe industry which flourished here for many decades. \u00a0Unfortunately, the souq was mainly closed. \u00a0It was sad to see so many shops boarded up. \u00a0One of the shop keepers who spoke English described tensions with Israeli troops posted nearby. \u00a0I imagine living there is stressful for everyone.<\/p>\n Checkpoints, security fences, and heavy secure turnstiles are a way of life. \u00a0A small community of a few hundred Zionists settlers, driven by their faith and the importance of not abandoning the burial site of their patriarch, live above the market. \u00a0Walking down the quiet street indicated discord between two communities.<\/p>\n We walked through a metal detector and numerous heavy-duty turnstiles to arrive at our destination: Abraham’s Mosque.<\/p>\n The building that houses the Tomb of the Patriarchs is divided into two parts to serve Jewish and Muslim worshippers. \u00a0The tombs are located in a holy site under a Crusader church whose foundation walls are made of “Herod’s Stones.” \u00a0The stones have decorative carved borders and were quarried during King Herod’s reign. \u00a0We saw the same 2,000 year old stones at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n We passed through the guarded entry of Al-Haram al-Ibrahimi<\/em> (Abraham’s Mosque) and climbed the stairs to the main door.<\/p>\n Non-Muslim women have to cover-up in order to enter the mosque so were given blue cloaks. \u00a0We all looked pretty funny.<\/p>\n This is the fourth holiest site in Islam and the second holiest site in Palestine. \u00a0The Prophet Abraham resided in Hebron about 4,000 years ago. \u00a0He chose the city as a burial place for himself and his wife Sarah, his son Isaac with his wife Rebecca, and his grandson Jacob with his wife Leah. \u00a0They are also considered the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Jewish people, which is the reason the building is divided in half with a mosque on one side and a synagogue on the other.<\/p>\n According to tradition, a cave and adjoining field were purchased by Abraham as a burial plot. \u00a0The Cave of the Patriarchs is located beneath the building complex which houses the mosque and synagogue. \u00a0Four cenotaphs (empty tombs) are visible to worshippers and the general public. \u00a0Below is a photo of the stone canopy above the visible entrance to the caves, which are not accessible.<\/p>\n We left the mosque and walked around the building to the entrance of the synagogue. \u00a0Jacob’s and Leah’s tombs are located on this side.<\/p>\n We saw the other side of Abraham’s Tomb (actually empty) and a lovely library.<\/p>\n We walked through another section of the\u00a0souq <\/i>which seemed more active.<\/p>\n As we left the Old City, I noticed graffiti on a wall:<\/p>\n We had a tasty lunch at a restaurant in Hebron called Dome of the Rock which had a beaded model of the monument in Jerusalem. \u00a0Then we drove out of the city into the desert to the home of a Bedouin family.<\/p>\n The family had been resettled in cinder-block houses. \u00a0The boys in the extended family met with us; some were brothers, others were cousins. \u00a0They shyly practiced their English skills and a couple of the younger boys sang songs in English. One of the mothers joined us for a short time.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n