Kfar Tapuach
Encyclopedia
Kfar Tapuach is an Israeli settlement
in the West Bank
, founded in 1978. It sits astride one of the major traffic junctions in the West Bank. The executive director of the village council is Yisrael Blunder. As of December 2007, it had 800 residents. The chief rabbi is Shimon Rosenzwieg.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
The town located near the archaeological site of the biblical Kfar Tapuach appears in the Bible in the Book of Joshua
chapter 12 as one of the first 31 cities conquered by Joshua Bin-Nun and the children of Israel
when they entered the land. The book of Joshua chapter 17 places Tapuach the border between the territory of the sons of Joseph, the tribes of Manasseh
and Ephraim
.
from Bareket
, it has since absorbed Russia
n and American Jews, a large group of Peruvian converts
to Judaism from Trujillo, Peru
, and others . Between February 2004 and August 2009, over 90 new families have moved to Kfar Tapuach.
since Rabbi Binyamin Kahane
and his family moved there in 1990 with other core members of Kach and Kahane Chai
organizations.
, is home to some ten young families. Some of whom run organic farms producing honey, olive oil and wine.
In 2004, a synagogue was built on the hill in memory of Binyamin Kahane
and his wife, Talya Kahane, who were slain by Palestinian
terrorists. A Torah scroll was also written in their memory. Shortly after the building was completed, the Israeli government declared the synagogue an illegal structure and sent in the IDF
and police to demolish it.
A temporary structure was rebuilt after the original synagogue was destroyed and is in use by the community for prayer and Torah reading.
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, founded in 1978. It sits astride one of the major traffic junctions in the West Bank. The executive director of the village council is Yisrael Blunder. As of December 2007, it had 800 residents. The chief rabbi is Shimon Rosenzwieg.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
International law and Israeli settlements
The international community considers the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories illegal under international law, but Israel maintains that they are consistent with international law because it does not agree that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to the...
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
The town located near the archaeological site of the biblical Kfar Tapuach appears in the Bible in the Book of Joshua
Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land....
chapter 12 as one of the first 31 cities conquered by Joshua Bin-Nun and the children of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
when they entered the land. The book of Joshua chapter 17 places Tapuach the border between the territory of the sons of Joseph, the tribes of Manasseh
Tribe of Manasseh
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Manasseh was one of the Tribes of Israel. Together with the Tribe of Ephraim, Manasseh also formed the House of Joseph....
and Ephraim
Tribe of Ephraim
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Ephraim was one of the Tribes of Israel. The Tribe of Manasseh together with Ephraim also formed the House of Joseph....
.
Community members background
Although its population consists entirely of Jews, Kfar Tapuach is one of the more ethnically diverse Israeli settlements. Founded by a core of Habani Yemenite JewsYemenite Jews
Yemenite Jews are those Jews who live, or whose recent ancestors lived, in Yemen . Between June 1949 and September 1950, the overwhelming majority of Yemen's Jewish population was transported to Israel in Operation Magic Carpet...
from Bareket
Bareket
Bareket is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the Shephelah around five kilometres north-east of Ben Gurion International Airport and covering 2,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Modi'in Regional Council. In 2007 it had a population of 1,300.The village was established in...
, it has since absorbed Russia
History of the Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union
The vast territories of the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest populations of Jews in the diaspora. Within these territories the Jewish community flourished and developed many of modern Judaism's most distinctive theological and cultural traditions, while also facing periods of...
n and American Jews, a large group of Peruvian converts
B'nai Moshe
The B'nai Moshe , also known as Inca Jews, are a small group of several hundred converts to Judaism originally from the city of Trujillo, Peru, to the north of the capital city Lima...
to Judaism from Trujillo, Peru
Trujillo, Peru
Trujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru...
, and others . Between February 2004 and August 2009, over 90 new families have moved to Kfar Tapuach.
Kahanism
Kfar Tapuach is often associated with KahanismKahanism
Kahanism is loosely defined as an nationalist ideology of dedication and self-sacrifice for Jewish causes, such as physical and spiritual freedom and safety of Jews in Israel and worldwide. The term is derived from the name of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane , founder of the Jewish Defense League in USA...
since Rabbi Binyamin Kahane
Binyamin Kahane
Binyamin Kahane , 5 March 1911 – 30 October 1956, was an Israeli air force officer and pilot who, while on a reconnaissance sortie, sacrificed his life to save the ground troops he was supporting from attack. For his action he was awarded the Medal of Courage by the Israeli Defense Forces...
and his family moved there in 1990 with other core members of Kach and Kahane Chai
Kach and Kahane Chai
Kach was a far-right political party in Israel. Founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane in the early 1970s, and following his Jewish nationalist ideology , the party entered the Knesset in 1984 after several electoral failures...
organizations.
Public services
- Four synagogues, two of which have three minyanim (prayer gatherings) daily and evening TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
classes; all five are fully functional on ShabbatShabbatShabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
. - Two Mikvaot (ritual baths), one for women and one for men.
- A nursery school and three kindergartens with a playground.
- A qualified and experienced volunteer emergency medical and anti-terrorist team, ready and on call for whatever needs might occur.
Private businesses
Grocery store, mechanic garage, moving company, goat farm, honey bee farm, Klaf (leather parchment) factory, perfume factory.Tapuach West
Kfar Tapuach's nearby Israeli outpost, Tapuach West, located halfway between the main part of the town on the Yehuda and Shomron University campus in ArielAriel (city)
Ariel is an Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank. Ariel was established in 1978. Its population at the end of 2009 was 17,600, including 7,000 immigrants who came to Israel after 1990. It is the fourth largest Jewish settlement city in the West Bank., after Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit,...
, is home to some ten young families. Some of whom run organic farms producing honey, olive oil and wine.
In 2004, a synagogue was built on the hill in memory of Binyamin Kahane
Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane
Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane was a rabbi and the son of Rabbi Meir Kahane.Born in New York City, he emigrated to Israel with his family at the age of four, in 1971...
and his wife, Talya Kahane, who were slain by Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
terrorists. A Torah scroll was also written in their memory. Shortly after the building was completed, the Israeli government declared the synagogue an illegal structure and sent in the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and police to demolish it.
A temporary structure was rebuilt after the original synagogue was destroyed and is in use by the community for prayer and Torah reading.
See also
- KahanismKahanismKahanism is loosely defined as an nationalist ideology of dedication and self-sacrifice for Jewish causes, such as physical and spiritual freedom and safety of Jews in Israel and worldwide. The term is derived from the name of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane , founder of the Jewish Defense League in USA...
- Meir KahaneMeir KahaneMartin David Kahane , also known as Meir Kahane , was an American-Israeli rabbi and ultra-nationalist writer and political figure. He was an ordained Orthodox rabbi and later served as a member of the Israeli Knesset...
- Binyamin Ze'ev KahaneBinyamin Ze'ev KahaneBinyamin Ze'ev Kahane was a rabbi and the son of Rabbi Meir Kahane.Born in New York City, he emigrated to Israel with his family at the age of four, in 1971...
- Mike GuzovskyMike GuzovskyMike Guzovsky, also known as Mike Guzofsky and Yekutiel Ben-Ya'acov, is an American-Israeli follower of the late Meir Kahane. According to the British Government, Guzovsky is a Jewish militant. He is a contact on Kahane.org, which is on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of terrorist organizations...
- David Ha'ivriDavid Ha'ivriDavid Ha'ivri is an Israeli settler and political activist. He emigrated with his family from the United States to Israel at the age of 11 and served in the IDF. Ha'ivri lives with his wife and eight children in Kfar Tapuach in the northern West Bank...