"ALL CAPS IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY IS NO VICE."

Friday, May 27, 2011

150 years later, Jewish home in Old City becomes Jewish again

A house in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City has been bought by an American and become residential for Jews again.
A house dedication ceremony was held and a mezuzah was affixed on Thursday at Beit Shechter (Schechter house), located in Jerusalem’s Muslim Quarter, 150 years after the home was transferred to an Arab family when Jews had to leave the area. The house thus returned to Jewish hands.
Very likely this was during the time of the Ottoman Empire.

There was also a mezuzah slot found:
Two days earlier, as renovations were taking place inside the house, the original slot for the mezuzah was discovered.

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, head of the Ateret Cohanim Yeshiva, the main catalyst in the home's recovery as it has been in other parts of the Muslim Quarter, was the one who affixed the mezuzah into place, following which a special dinner was held and dancing took place. The American Friends of Ateret Cohanim annual dinner will take place on June 1st in New York.
There's a video interview available at the link in the full article.

No comments: