From the Camp David Summit, which was held in July, 2000, former-PM Ehud Barak offered to give in to PLO demands that a healthy portion of Judea, Samaria & Gaza be turned into a Palestinian state.  In addition, the PLO has blatantly and explicitly expressed their intent for complete control over Rachel's Tomb.  The Yeshiva's answer is to strengthen our hold on this site.  The way to do that is to maintain a  Jewish presence there at this, the 3rd holiest site of our  people.  This demonstrates public interest and puts pressure on the Israeli goverment to maintain Jewish control over Rachel's Tomb.

Following a very successful fundraising campaign for Rachel's Tomb from the people of the Etzion Bloc, located just a few kilometers south of Bethlehem, the Nir Tamid Program of Yeshivat Kever Rachel is already active and growing.  One of the principles that Rachel our Matriarch espoused in her lifetime was 'achdut' -- the unity of her children.  So one of the first steps taken by the Yeshiva of Rachel's Tomb was to join together with another group currently learning at the Tomb.

The Ministry of Religion of the State of Israel continues to monitor the number of visitors and students at the Tomb of Rachel especially between 7 PM and the morning.  There is a great concern that they will use the information of the number of visitors to Rachel's Tomb in order to make assumptions about the popularity of our Matriarch's resting place.  We fear that the Israeli government may decide to give abandon Rachel's Tomb to the Palestinian Authority unless sufficiant interest in her tomb is made plain.  If only for this reason, we must go out of our way to demonstrate our attachment to the Tomb of our Matriarch to, hopefully, prevent it being turned over to PA control.  So to insure that our holy site remains free, open and accessible, there must be a strong Jewish presence at the Tomb.
 
 

We especially encourage the residents of the Etzion Bloc, who live so close to the Tomb, to go and visit the there regularly.  We also hope that they will organize groups for minyanim (prayer quorums) and to pray Ma'ariv (evening service) in the Tomb at least once a week.

This project is being made possible thanks to the support of the Etzion Bloc Jewish community -- yashar ko'ach and thank you!