Thousands arrived this morning (Sunday) at the town of Evyatar in Samaria for a festive Rosh Chodesh prayer with musical instruments led by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu.
The prayer and thanksgiving event comes after three years of struggle to recognize the town, led by the head of the Samaria Region governor Yossi Dagan, MK Tzvi Sukkot, members of the 'Nachala' movement, and the 'Avinoam' yeshiva in Evyatar, which concluded a few days ago when the government decided, led by Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to recognize the town of Evyatar, making it the 37th town in the Samaria Regional Council.
The event was attended by Dagan, members of the Nachala movement, students of the Avinoam yeshiva located there, as well as the town's residents and other public figures.
The Chief Rabbi of Tzfat, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, said during the prayer event: ''In every generation, there are its giants. Until a week ago, there was Biden, who said that Evyatar is a red line and under no circumstances should it be recognized. But apparently, there is something above this giant, and it is said about him, 'Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails' (Proverbs 19:21). This place is the counsel of the Lord, we are here because of the Lord's counsel, the yeshiva here is the Lord's counsel. The victory over the giants is a victory that teaches that it is not a government decision that decided on the regulation of five towns, it is the counsel of the Lord.''
Dagan said: 'We are here rectifying the sin of despising the land, a sin that can cause an entire nation to fall. We see it in Gaza, we see it on the northern border, it is a direct result of the sin of despising the land. Rectifying the sin of despising the land has the power to lift an entire nation, and that is what we are doing here today. We are standing here in Evyatar and saying 'Evyatar is not just houses - Evyatar is an idea, and this idea cannot be defeated'. Evyatar is an idea where we are breaking the wall that prohibits the establishment of new towns in Judea, Samaria, and the Land of Israel. We are standing here and saying to the government of Israel and to the whole world that there will be many many Evyatars in Samaria.'
'I want to thank Minister Bezalel Smotrich who fought like a lion to get this decision passed, the Nachala movement, Daniella Weiss and Tzvi Elimelech Shrubaf, MK Tzvi Sukkot, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, the dear families of Evyatar, the students of the Avinoam yeshiva led by Rabbi David Amitai, and it is important to mention in this emotional event, the late Rabbi Chaim Druckman, who until his last day dealt with the recognition of the town,' added Dagan.
Sukkot recited the Shehecheyanu (He who haskept us alive), blessing, which is used to mark joyous occasions. ''This morning I was privileged to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing at the town of Evyatar during the prayer with our Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu. This is a great privilege and a moving closure for me remembering the days when I was privileged to be a partner in the establishment of Evyatar alongside my friend, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, and today to be a member of the coalition regulating this place and in the party of Minister Smotrich leading this great move.''
MK Moshe Solomon also participated in the festive prayer and said: ''Exactly a year ago, I came to the town under unfortunate circumstances, following the terrible attack at the Eli junction that claimed the lives of four of our sons. The fitting response to this is holding onto the land that our forefathers walked on. Our presence here today is proof of the unbreakable Jewish spirit and our commitment to building the Land of Israel. Evyatar is a symbol of the determination and strength of our people, and its recognition is a significant step in the struggle for the Land of Israel. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalms 118:24).''
The head of the Avinoam yeshiva, Rabbi David Amitai, said: ''Exactly a year ago, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu led the prayer here, and everything seemed blocked. The next day we returned here until this very day. Thanks to many prayers, sweat, and efforts, we finally get to see God's salvation for His people and His inheritance. We are making a rectification here, promoting love for the land, and hopefully, we will be able to see, despite the blockages, everything opening up. May we see all our enemies melting away before us, and settle here in the Land of Israel with great love and affection.''
The head of the Nachala movement, Daniella Weiss, said: ''Rabbi Nahum was the first head of the yeshiva in Samaria, in the town of Elon Moreh, today Kedumim, his son, Rabbi Hanania, is a Rabbi at the Avinoam yeshiva in the town of Evyatar. Just as in the early days of town, so it is now. A town and a yeshiva are intertwined. The same root, the same essence, and from here also blessings for expansion throughout the Land of Israel. We will also expand to Gaza and Lebanon.''
''The blessing that we have witnessed in Evyatar, Chomesh, Sde Efraim, Givat Asaf, Adoraim, and other places, obligates all of us to gird our loins to achieve the great challenge facing the people of Israel: towns throughout the Gaza Strip. We received all this goodness to provide good for the Land of Israel, to redeem Gaza from its sufferings, to redeem the land of Gaza and establish towns there,'' added Weiss.
Tzvi Elimelech Shrubaf, one of the heads of the Nachala movement, added: 'This is a very emotional moment. Three years ago when we came up here, there was a prayer with a large crowd. When we started working on new towns after the disengagement, it still seemed distant, it seemed impossible. But today, thank God, not only has Evyatar been established, but 14 new towns have been established during this government and, with God's help, we will continue not only to establish more towns here in Samaria, which certainly needs to be done more and more, but we will take this power to establish many new towns in the Gaza region and after the IDF conquers Lebanon, also in Lebanon, with God's help.''
Techiya Chaim, from the families of Evyatar, added: ''We are deeply grateful to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who brought the message of 'we can do it' to the people of Israel. Without the foothold on the ground of dedicated, Zionist, pioneering families, and the wonderful yeshiva students, we would not have reached this status. Persistence, determination, and belief in the righteousness of the path turn the unrealistic into realistic, and the most realistic. With God's help, this year also in the Gaza region and the Lebanon region.''
Last week the political-security cabinet recognized five new towns in Judea and Samaria. The step came as part of a package of sanctions approved by the cabinet against the Palestinian Authority and in response to the recognition last month of a Palestinian state by five European countries. Among the towns that were regularized, the regulation of Evyatar was the most challenging, but after heavy pressure, it was also included in the list of regularized towns and, as mentioned, became the 37th town of the Samaria Regional Council.