After a two year battle to return a Jewish presence in Shdema, the army came back to Shdema.
Women in Green and Shdema activists welcomed the soldiers with a sign saying
"The our dear soldiers-welcome back to Shdema!"
לאחר מאבק של שנתיים להחזרת הנוכחות היהודית בשדמה-צה"ל חזר.
פעילי הועד למען שדמה יהודית ונשים בירוק קידמו את החיילים בשלט
The Struggle for Eretz Israel
The Struggle for Shdema
Shdema, a former Israeli army base in Gush Etzion, 5 kilometers from Jerusalem's Har Homa, and 8 kilometers
from Tekoa, was abandoned in 2006 for political reasons. Shdema, under Israeli control (Area C), is located at an
extremely strategic point, that connects between Jerusalem and eastern Gush Etzion, and provides security for
those traveling on the eastern Gush Etzion road.
Historically speaking, the Shdema area was densely populated by Jews during the First Temple period and resettled
again during the Second Temple period. Archeological remains of Jewish settlement in the Shdema area have been
identified from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Mameluke periods. The Hasmoneans waged their final
victorious battle there.
In April 2008 the Committee for a Jewish Shdema, sponsored by Women in Green, began to maintain a permanent
presence there, by organizing Land of Israel cultural activities at the site.
The Beit Sahur municipality submitted a request to the Minister of Defense to build a park and hospital on the area
of the camp. The request is on the Defense Minister's desk; permission has still not been granted.
This did not prevent the Arabs of Beit Sahur, with the encouragement and funding of European organizations and
USAID, to build, in a patently illegal manner, an entire complex of structures and installations for various activities,
on the northern area of the base, at the foot of the hill.
Two main conceptions underlie the roots of renewed Jewish settlement in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza in general and
in Shdema in particular:
The first one: all of Eretz Israel is the exclusive possession of the people of Israel. Judea, Samaria and Gaza are the
very heart of Eretz Israel. They are the essence of our bond with the land. The ancient cities in those areas are
replete with Jewish history from early times, the time of the Bible, the First and Second Temples, the Mishnah and
the Talmud. The homeland, the people's historic roots, is first and foremost in the hills of Judea and Samaria, and
by extension to the coastal plain, and the rest of the country.
The second one: the hills of Judea and Samaria are the key to the security of all Eretz Israel. These hilly areas
overlook all parts of the land, including the densely populated areas in the coastal plain.
These two arguments, of divine and historic right and security, meet at Shdema.
The cultural activity at Shdema has brought hundreds of people there, from all parts of Israel, who are
exposed to profound lectures on the values of Zionism that emphasize our right to Eretz Israel and to
original Eretz Israel culture, music and art. A new-old spirit waves over Shdema. A spirit of dedication,
tenacity, and fulfillment. A broad spectrum of politicians supports Jewish control of Shdema, along with
many officers in the army. Additional pressure and a greater presence at the site, can succeed in leaving Shdema
in the hands of the Jewish people.
The Struggle for Shdema Is Also the Struggle for Jerusalem
In the past few weeks, activists from Har Choma have joined together with activists from Shdema and Gush Etzion
to advance together a plan for the extension of Jerusalem from Har Choma to Shdema, thus safeguarding the
Jewish continuity between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion.
We appeal to you to exert all your national and Zionist influence to help us preserve a Jewish Shdema.
