How It All Began 24 |

Liberating Yerushalayim EVERY DAY he students of the Vilna Gaon strengthening the Jewish communities of a total population of 28,000 residents. helped revitalize Torah and of the Old City and its environs. The A Jewish majority inside the Old City, religious life within the ancient purchase of properties and land from the with 21 synagogues and six yeshivot in T walls of Jerusalem in the early Arabs, some of whom are either illegally the area today known as the Moslem 1800s. The JNF have been involved with squatting on old Jewish property or Quarter. It was the main hub of Jewish redeeming land for the Jewish people for protected tenants, is a complicated and life and activity due to its proximity to the over 100 years. Rothschild, Montefiore, delicate process requiring patience, funds Temple Mount. Under the Turks, Jews Moskowitz and others have helped and emunah. Ateret Cohanim facilitates and Arabs lived side by side and there redeem land in and around Jerusalem, such acquisitions for ideological investors were no quarters as we know today. (The each in their own generation. from Israel and abroad. current division into four quarters came These were giant footsteps taken by Up against the Arab nations, world later, under the British.) idealistic Zionists who both dreamt and condemnation and hypocritical UN But Arab pogroms and riots in 1920, materialized those dreams of revitalizing resolutions, extreme left-wing groups 1928-29 and 1937-38 decimated Jewish Jewish life in the heart of Jerusalem. and ever-growing Arab violence and life in the Old City, and Jews were evicted Today, Ateret Cohanim is walking in intolerance, Ateret Cohanim are, in the from their homes by both the Arabs and the footsteps of these “Jerusalem greats,” words of the Spokesperson and Executive the impotent British authorities. What because for this organization, the struggle Director, Daniel Luria, “modern day remained of the tiny Jewish Quarter was to keep a united Yerushalayim in Jewish paratroopers fighting the 7th day war.” also lost in the Independence War of 1948. hands is far from over. Ateret Cohanim is the link connecting The miraculous Six-Day War victory Ateret Cohanim (Crown of Priests) past and future Jerusalem. in 1967 brought Jewish life back to has been operating for about 40 years the Jewish Quarter, but the old Jewish as the main non-profit organization How it All Began Quarter (also known as the Moslem for redeeming land in the eastern In the mid-late 1800s, there were close to Quarter and the Christian Quarter) was neighborhoods of Jerusalem and 19,000 Jews living inside the Old City, out left abandoned and forgotten. 24 | Mati Dan, a young yeshiva student, Hershberg Hy”d (23 years ago) inside had a dream to return to the Old City of the Old City and subsequent efforts of Liberating Yerushalayim. On Chanukah in 1979, he Ateret Cohanim to enhance security, founded Ateret Cohanim, also known the Government of Israel decided to as the “JNF of Jerusalem,” which began install hundreds of security cameras, a its real estate redemption efforts by surveillance center and security guards Yerushalayim facilitating the purchase of the well known in the Old City. In fact, the Government Yeshivat Chayei Olam from the late 1800s, spends close to $30 million on security now the Breslover Shuvu Banim Yeshiva. for all Jewish families in and around the Miraculously, when they approached the Old City. Ateret Cohanim founder Mati Dan (left) Arab owner at the time, he said, “This is a “It has made a huge difference to the with donor Irving Moskowitz Jewish house. Give me compensation and overall security,” Luria says, adding, “but EVERY DAY I’ll get out of here.” the best security is having more Jewish The flame had been lit and the door families!” In many neighborhoods, he students of the Vilna Gaon strengthening the Jewish communities of a total population of 28,000 residents. opened up to the Old City. attacks have lessened as Jewish helped revitalize Torah and of the Old City and its environs. The A Jewish majority inside the Old City, presence has increased. religious life within the ancient purchase of properties and land from the with 21 synagogues and six yeshivot in The Photographer’s House T walls of Jerusalem in the early Arabs, some of whom are either illegally the area today known as the Moslem Since then, G-d has opened many Tehillim Stand in the Way 1800s. The JNF have been involved with squatting on old Jewish property or Quarter. It was the main hub of Jewish doors for Ateret Cohanim. Every time Despite the dangers, it is clear that G-d redeeming land for the Jewish people for protected tenants, is a complicated and life and activity due to its proximity to the Ateret Cohanim manages to facilitate protects those who serve Him. When over 100 years. Rothschild, Montefiore, delicate process requiring patience, funds Temple Mount. Under the Turks, Jews the acquisition of a house, there is an Mati Dan first founded Ateret Cohanim, Moskowitz and others have helped and emunah. Ateret Cohanim facilitates and Arabs lived side by side and there incredible story of hashgacha pratit he went to the JNF to see if they could Children playing on rooftop playgrounds redeem land in and around Jerusalem, such acquisitions for ideological investors were no quarters as we know today. (The behind it. One such house is Beit help support the cause, as the JNF was in the Old Jewish Quarter each in their own generation. from Israel and abroad. current division into four quarters came HaTzalam (The Photographer’s House). primarily set up to reclaim land for the These were giant footsteps taken by Up against the Arab nations, world later, under the British.) 22 years ago, Ateret Cohanim Jewish people. idealistic Zionists who both dreamt and condemnation and hypocritical UN But Arab pogroms and riots in 1920, was trying to track down a Jewish He sat with the then Director, who shoulder, but the bullet that should have materialized those dreams of revitalizing resolutions, extreme left-wing groups 1928-29 and 1937-38 decimated Jewish photographer who had taken pictures of wanted to introduce Mati to an Arab who hit his heart and killed him on the spot Jewish life in the heart of Jerusalem. and ever-growing Arab violence and life in the Old City, and Jews were evicted a group on tour. Due to a mistake of one had connections and might be able to didn’t fully penetrate the book. There was Today, Ateret Cohanim is walking in intolerance, Ateret Cohanim are, in the from their homes by both the Arabs and digit in the phone number, Mati Dan find Arabs willing to sell in Yerushalayim. no blood around this bullet hole, in the the footsteps of these “Jerusalem greats,” words of the Spokesperson and Executive the impotent British authorities. What accidentally called an Arab from the Old Neither Mati nor the Director followed middle of the Tehillim. because for this organization, the struggle Director, Daniel Luria, “modern day remained of the tiny Jewish Quarter was City, who agreed to sell his home, on through with the introduction. The Arab miraculously survived, took to keep a united Yerushalayim in Jewish paratroopers fighting the 7th day war.” also lost in the Independence War of 1948. condition that Ateret Cohanim organized A few years later, Mati needed a taxi. the Tehillim home and had it framed. hands is far from over. Ateret Cohanim is the link connecting The miraculous Six-Day War victory a flight and work in America. He flagged down three drivers, none of Mati Dan tried to get it back, but the Arab Ateret Cohanim (Crown of Priests) past and future Jerusalem. in 1967 brought Jewish life back to Beit HaTzalam has joined dozens whom would take him. Frustrated, Mati family wanted to keep the holy Jewish has been operating for about 40 years the Jewish Quarter, but the old Jewish of other complexes in the Old Jewish got into the fourth taxi. Upon conversing book. Eventually, after many requests, the as the main non-profit organization How it All Began Quarter (also known as the Moslem Quarter that are currently inhabited with the Arab driver, Mati discovered this Arab agreed to give Mati the Tehillim, on for redeeming land in the eastern In the mid-late 1800s, there were close to Quarter and the Christian Quarter) was by Jews. Today there are 1,000 Jewish was the same man he had been meant to condition that he buy him another one – neighborhoods of Jerusalem and 19,000 Jews living inside the Old City, out left abandoned and forgotten. residents (families and yeshiva students) meet a few years earlier. “this time a lot thicker please!” in this area. Mati told the driver that if he ever had When Mati saw the framed Tehillim, any property to sell, he should be in touch, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The Tehillim The Dangers giving the driver his phone number which was opened at the end of the hole made by Sometimes, dealing with buying property he had written in a tiny Sefer Tehillim. the bullet at perek 84, which speaks about from Arabs can be dangerous. An official This driver became the middleman Yerushalayim as G-d’s courtyard, and the ,ליבי ובשרי ירננו אל א-ל חי :Moslem edict (Fatwa) declares death to responsible for bringing many deals to following words any Arab seller of land or apartments to Ateret Cohanim. “my heart and my flesh will rejoice to a Jews.

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