The Jewish community of Hebron has announced the completion of a multi-year restoration project at the Tomb of Yishai and Ruth, located atop Tel Hebron in the West Bank. The restoration was spearheaded by Yishai Fleisher, the international spokesperson for the Hebron Jewish community and a member of the Otzma Yehudit party led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Fleisher, who also serves on the Efrat Local Council, is a prominent English-speaking advocate for Israel, hosting a popular YouTube channel with over 300,000 subscribers. According to Jewish tradition, the tomb is revered as the final resting place of Yishai, the father of the biblical King David, and his great-grandmother, Ruth the Moabite. “The location of the site in Hebron—the city of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, and the first acquisition of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel made by our forefather Abraham—carries profound spiritual significance,” Fleisher explained. “There is a deep connection between the Tomb of Yishai and Ruth and the Cave of the Patriarchs.”
“According to sacred sources, there are four ‘wheels’ in the Chariot of God: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Why specifically David? Because David is the one who fulfills the dream of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs—the dream of a united and strong people in their land, living in holiness,” Fleisher added.
Bringing Safed to Hebron
Working closely with a team of historians and artisans, Fleisher designed the site to incorporate the distinctive turquoise color typically associated with Safed, moving away from the traditional browns and greens of the region. “We wanted to bring the sanctity of Safed’s turquoise into the heart of Hebron,” Fleisher stated. The graves of Yishai and Ruth themselves were redesigned using stone, calligraphic inscriptions, a Star of David, and a wheat motif to represent Ruth’s biblical story. The renovations of the tomb, along with the establishment of a new synagogue and study hall, were completed using local Hebron stone, wrought iron, and wood. The project, which cost roughly one million dollars, was funded by donations raised by Fleisher from around the world.
Connecting site to younger generations
Additionally, a chamber dating back to the Byzantine and medieval periods has been restored and converted into a working studio where visitors can watch a scribe write on parchment using traditional methods. The completed site also features shaded seating areas, water fountains, restrooms, a small event hall, a courtyard, parking, and direct access to the Tel Hebron archaeological park. “If young people saw the place as it used to be, they wouldn’t connect to it, and they wouldn’t feel that this is a place of holiness,” Fleisher explained. “My view is that the places we love and cherish as our heritage must be beautiful and inspiring, expanding the heart to believe in something truly great.” “I look forward to applying my experience in beautifying Hebron to beautifying the entire Land of Israel through my work in the Knesset.”
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
