Hebron community restores ancient tomb linked to King David
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Hebron’s Jewish community finished restoring the Tomb of Yishai and Ruth in the West Bank after four years of work.
Yishai Fleisher, international spokesperson for the community and a member of the Otzma Yehudit party, led the project. Jewish tradition identifies the tomb as the burial place of Yishai, the father of King David, and Ruth the Moabite, a figure in Jewish and Christian scripture.
Fleisher and a team of historians and artisans redesigned the site, moving away from traditional colors to incorporate turquoise, a color associated with the city of Safed, and added symbolic elements like a Star of David and wheat motifs referencing Ruth’s story. They used local materials, stone, wrought iron, and wood, to rebuild the graves and construct a new synagogue and study hall.
The project also included restoring a historical chamber and turning it into a scribe’s workshop open to visitors, along with modern amenities like seating, fountains, and parking. Fleisher raised approximately one million dollars from donors worldwide to fund the renovations, aiming to create a welcoming space that connects younger generations to their heritage and hopes to expand similar beautification efforts throughout Israel through his work in the Knesset.
