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DonateRabbi Eliyahu Shlomo Raanan lived in Hebron and was killed Thursday evening 20/08/1998 when a terrorist broke into his home. He was 63 years old and survived by his wife and three children. A prominent rabbi and educator, he was a grandson of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel.
His daughter Tzipi Schlissel, a resident of Hebron, wrote the following:
It's been eighteen years since the murder of my father, Rabbi Shlomo Ra'anan. The murder last week of 13-year-old Hallel Yaffa Ariel occurred almost on the same date. It's time for the Israeli Government to stop accommodating our enemies, and change direction regarding the brutal enemy in front of us.
Today I returned from a condolence call at the Ariel family's home. The eve of first of the month of Elul marks 18 years since my father's murder.
The terrorist crawled through the window and stabbed him while he was in his pajamas ready to go to bed. Dad fought the terrorist who stabbed him multiple times.
But in front of my mother's eyes he stabbed him again in his heart and ran away.
When I went yesterday to the Ariel family, one of the neighbors took me to Hallel's room. "The terrorist came from the window of the house and murdered her here as she lay in bed," she told me.
Even those who did not know the family were shocked and came from afar to pay their respects. I remembered the pain during my father's shiva services. Even Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu came. He promised to build new residences in Hebron... and I'm trying to think of what happened in the 18 years since that we are now again at this point. A terrorist entered a house and in cold-blood murdered a defenseless person in bed.
Dad was killed in the period after the 1997 Hebron Redeployment Agreement was signed in which the PA gained control of 97% of Hebron.
We were cut off from Jewish property dating back hundreds of years, from land legally purchased by the community, and from holy places such as the Cave of Otniel. They were suddenly on the other side of the border.
The PA residents were supposed to behave towards us peacefully. But they did not. Since the Hebron Accords terrorism has grown. Incitement and systematic hatred has only gained momentum. The defense establishment is on the defensive. After the murder of my father, roadblocks and checkpoints were set up. The army has netted many terrorists but they have not "drained the swamp." This morning we again woke up to the sound of incitement being broadcast from the minarets of the mosques.
When I look out my window at the PA side of Hebron, I see massive construction projects. A huge shopping mall, apartment buildings, luxurious villas. All around us, the hills are covered with houses for PA residents.
But we, the Jews, are fighting for every housing unit. Even though we have clear ownership papers proven in court, we are forbidden to enter our property. The zoning approval that was promised after my father's murder was only carried out in part. There are only seven of the 17 housing units approved for construction. Hebron homes purchased at full price, just like Abraham bought the Cave of Machpela at full price, now stand deserted after the residents have been expelled by the government.
The Jewish community is being choked and cannot not develop. Children in the community who marry, can not live in Hebron because there is no possibility of housing.
18 years and still the Israeli government casts aside the historical and moral right to the land of Israel.
18 years of terrorism and incitement continues to exist and to receive funding and cooperation.
18 years and half a million Jews cling valiantly to their homes and land, refusing to surrender to murderous terrorists.
18 years and I feel like crying out - enough !!!
The Jewish people returned home!
Stop responding after the murder. Enough of a defensive policy, which leaves us always at a disadvantage.
Enough of us begging for every home and apartment. It's time to apply sovereignty and to build Kiryat Arba and Hebron as anywhere else in the world!
Tzipi Schlissel is the curator of the Hebron History Museum at Beit Hadassah. Her grandmother was a native Hebronite and survivor of the 1929 massacre. Her father, Rabbi Shlomo Raanan was a grandson of the first Chief Rabbi of the land of Israel, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. Her husband, Rabbi Yisrael Schlissel currently runs the Ohr Shlomo Torah Study Center in Hebron. For a full-length interview, read Chaya Raanan: Profile of Courage in Hebron.
It's been eighteen years since the murder of my father, Rabbi Shlomo Ra'anan. The murder last week of 13-year-old Hallel Yaffa Ariel occurred almost on the same date. It's time for the Israeli Government to stop accommodating our enemies, and change direction regarding the brutal enemy in front of us.
Today I returned from a condolence call at the Ariel family's home. The eve of first of the month of Elul marks 18 years since my father's murder.
The terrorist crawled through the window and stabbed him while he was in his pajamas ready to go to bed. Dad fought the terrorist who stabbed him multiple times.
But in front of my mother's eyes he stabbed him again in his heart and ran away.
When I went yesterday to the Ariel family, one of the neighbors took me to Hallel's room. "The terrorist came from the window of the house and murdered her here as she lay in bed," she told me.
Even those who did not know the family were shocked and came from afar to pay their respects. I remembered the pain during my father's shiva services. Even Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu came. He promised to build new residences in Hebron... and I'm trying to think of what happened in the 18 years since that we are now again at this point. A terrorist entered a house and in cold-blood murdered a defenseless person in bed.
Dad was killed in the period after the 1997 Hebron Redeployment Agreement was signed in which the PA gained control of 97% of Hebron.
We were cut off from Jewish property dating back hundreds of years, from land legally purchased by the community, and from holy places such as the Cave of Otniel. They were suddenly on the other side of the border.
The PA residents were supposed to behave towards us peacefully. But they did not. Since the Hebron Accords terrorism has grown. Incitement and systematic hatred has only gained momentum. The defense establishment is on the defensive. After the murder of my father, roadblocks and checkpoints were set up. The army has netted many terrorists but they have not "drained the swamp." This morning we again woke up to the sound of incitement being broadcast from the minarets of the mosques.
When I look out my window at the PA side of Hebron, I see massive construction projects. A huge shopping mall, apartment buildings, luxurious villas. All around us, the hills are covered with houses for PA residents.
But we, the Jews, are fighting for every housing unit. Even though we have clear ownership papers proven in court, we are forbidden to enter our property. The zoning approval that was promised after my father's murder was only carried out in part. There are only seven of the 17 housing units approved for construction. Hebron homes purchased at full price, just like Abraham bought the Cave of Machpela at full price, now stand deserted after the residents have been expelled by the government.
The Jewish community is being choked and cannot not develop. Children in the community who marry, can not live in Hebron because there is no possibility of housing.
18 years and still the Israeli government casts aside the historical and moral right to the land of Israel.
18 years of terrorism and incitement continues to exist and to receive funding and cooperation.
18 years and half a million Jews cling valiantly to their homes and land, refusing to surrender to murderous terrorists.
18 years and I feel like crying out - enough !!!
The Jewish people returned home!
Stop responding after the murder. Enough of a defensive policy, which leaves us always at a disadvantage.
Enough of us begging for every home and apartment. It's time to apply sovereignty and to build Kiryat Arba and Hebron as anywhere else in the world!
Tzipi Schlissel is the curator of the Hebron History Museum at Beit Hadassah. Her grandmother was a native Hebronite and survivor of the 1929 massacre. Her father, Rabbi Shlomo Raanan was a grandson of the first Chief Rabbi of the land of Israel, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. Her husband, Rabbi Yisrael Schlissel currently runs the Ohr Shlomo Torah Study Center in Hebron. For a full-length interview, read Chaya Raanan: Profile of Courage in Hebron.
* RABBI SLAIN AT HOME IN HEBRON - Washington Post
* Jewish Settler in Hebron Killed, Home Is Burned - LA Times.
* Netanyahu Vows to Protect Settlements After Killing - LA Times