                      A Voice from Hebron
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg 
                 Sounding the Shofar in Hebron
                       in celebration of 
       Fifty Years since the Rebirth of the Jewish State
          and Thirty years since our return to Hebron
                         April 14 1998

        Last Sunday Hebron experienced an incredible happening.  Not only was it an official
participant in the state sponsored celebration of Israel's fiftieth anniversary, but the people of
Israel and friends of Hebron demonstrated their solidarity with the City of Abraham by
swarming to her by tens of thousands.  On the anniversary of thirty years since Jewish return to
our holy city, the people of Israel expressed their love for her and their determination that never
again will Hebron be abandoned by her children.

        I was called upon among five shofar blowers to usher in the ceremonies with the sounding of
the ram's horn.  It was an awesome privilege to participate in such a mammoth celebration for
such a significant  purpose. My readers know that I am not pleased with the way my government
is trying to run my country.  My last article expressed very clearly what I think of the slogan for
the Jubilee celebration.  While I stand by my feeling that our leadership has lost its pride and its
hope, this is not the case with the people of Israel.  They still want to have a proud leadership. 
They certainly want peace, but I firmly believe that most of the Jewish People have not given up
on Zionism.  Peace without Zion would have no meaning.  For an alleged right wing government
to seek a permanent agreement with our enemies which would cause us to give up our hope of
return to all of Zion is nothing less than treachery.

        We listened to many speeches from rabbis, Knesset Members, and even cabinet ministers.  
Most of the speeches were typical political hogwash.  When a politician sees crowds he is moved
to try and impress them with flowery statements.  Our Justice Minister, Tzachi Hanegbi, spoke
about Hebron forever, yet he was one who lent his signature to the agreement turning over 80%
of the city to our dear friend Yasser.  No flowery language on his part can remove the stench of
his two faced political maneuvering.  Rahavam Zeevi, the last remnant of what some still choose
to call "right wing", did speak well and call for our return to all of Hebron.  But, by far, the most
inspiring speech came from a most unexpected source.  It came from a Druse former IDF officer. 
I don't think it took him more than five minutes, but he had all of Israel cheering him on.  He
declared that the Torah is our irrevocable deed to the Land of Israel.  Unlike Likud Knesset
Member, Michael Etan, who called for learning to live in peace with our Arab neighbors, this
non-Jewish friend of the Jewish People reminded us of G-d's eternal Promise to Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob.  He implored us not to give up on Divine Promises.  I only wish that the Prime
Minister had been there to hear a man who really believes in our G-d.

        It is true that I, like many other Jews, am very disappointed in the leadership of my country. 
It pains me to see how hard that leadership is working to include our enemies as equal citizens of
Israel.  The overwhelming majority of Israeli Arabs are not proud to be Israelis.  They do not sing
Hatikvah.  Why should they celebrate the anniversary of their defeat?  Why should they want to
live in peace with an Israel of any size if they can find a way to take it all?  It has been a
combination of all of the governments of Israel which has given new hope to the dreams of our
enemies to destroy Zion.

        Those who dare to enunciate genuine Zionist principles of Jewish return and rebuilding of all
of Zion are labeled racists and enemies of peace.  It is clear to all who sincerely believe in the
current so called "peace" process, that it cannot succeed unless Israel renounces Zion.  It is an
ironic twist which finds that hated anti Zionist resolution by the United Nations, equating Zionism
with Racism, which was finally repudiated by that body, reborn and revitalized by our Knesset! 
How dare we celebrate our independence day while concurrently recognizing the rights of our
enemies to Jewish Soil?  The term "Peace" has become so holy as to not only permit distortions of
its definition, but to cause Jews to use that word to justify out and out treason.

        As I sounded the Shofar on that sweltering hot day before tens of thousands of good Jews, it
was not the Jubilee slogan I was thinking about.  My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of
where I was.  I came home to the Jewish homeland with my family over eighteen years ago.  Here
I was in the City of Abraham, sounding the shofar by the tombs of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in a
massive expression of joyful recognition of the miraculous Jewish return to our sovereign
homeland, fifty years ago, and to the City of our Fathers, thirty years ago.  For sure I was not
alone in my recognition of these splendid miracles, but I was overwhelmed at the bounteous
blessings bestowed upon me personally by our Creator.  It is this recognition of a greater truth
than the nonsense spewed forth by our politicians which gives us the courage and perseverance to
continue.  It is at times like this when we can clearly see that G-d's Hand is what is guiding us, and
no power on Earth can as much as slow down the Divine Process of Zionist return and rebuilding
of all of our ancient Promised Land.

        The spirit of faith and loyalty to the Living G-d of Israel, such as expressed by that Druse, is
also to be heard among a large minority of Christians.  Many such Christians have come down to
Hebron to express their solidarity with the Jewish People and their support of the genuine
Biblical process of Zionism.  In reaction to these unsolicited expressions of support, I have
established, what I call, Project Shofar, to recognize that support and to help them to channel it to
better accomplish the goals of Zionism.  As such I am taking my shofar and will spend Israeli
Independence Day this year in Orlando Florida.  Nearly twenty thousand Christian supporters of
Israel will be there and I intend to personally encourage them to continue their efforts to help
the Zionist process along.

        Project Shofar intends to try and amplify, spiritually, the sound of the Shofar, calling to the
Jewish exiles to come home.  The exile is rapidly coming to an end and the redemption is
unfolding before our eyes.  Now is the time to come home with our Jewish Pride intact.  We
Jews need to work overtime to return Jewish pride and values to our homeland.  We have been
waiting for the Messiah for over two thousand years.  The Messiah is here in Israel.  But now he
is waiting for us. 

