Established 50 years ago by a small group of families, Westminster Synagogue is situated in a five-floor Victorian town house in the vicinity of Hyde Park – a far cry from the Israel campus of Givat Haviva!
However a recent visit of a group of families – 20 adults and 10 children - from Westminster Synagogue put Givat Haviva and Wadi Ara firmly on the Israeli map for the Londoners whose own stomping grounds in Britain’s capital need no introduction.
Westminster Synagogue families arriving at Givat Haviva
Together with the congregation’s Rabbi Thomas Salamon and his wife Renee, the British visitors participated in a workshop and tour of the Amir Mountain range whilst the children spent a few hours in the Art Center creating artwork – mostly on the theme of peace - any parent would be proud of!
Whilst out and about in the Wadi Ara area Rabbi Salamon and his congregants put in a quick visit to the Israeli side of the Arab Muslim village of Barta’a, divided in two since 1949 with part of the village falling in to the State of Israel and the other being annexed by the Jordanians. In present times this area is known as Area B and is the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority.
“I knew the situation was complicated,” commented one gentleman as they stood taking in the view of the divided village from the Katzir observation platform before actually entering the village situated almost immediately down below the Jewish community on top of the mountain.
“However, I didn’t realize just how complicated,” he added quickly after checking his map provided by Givat Haviva showing the pre-1967 border (Green Line) between the State of Israel and Jordanian controlled West Bank and also showing the course of the security fence, which in the case of East Barta’a passes behind the village therefore leaving thousands of Palestinians on the Israeli side.
“Why wasn’t the security fence build on the Green Line?” asks someone amongst the group.
“What is stopping the Palestinians in East Barta’a and other Palestinian villages on the Israeli side of the security fence from going to Israeli towns?” asks another.
Questions came fast and furious. Some were answered and some not - the latter either due to shortage of time or because there wasn’t an answer to be given, only further explanation of the existing complication.
British born Israeli tour guide Dani Margolis, a member of Kibbutz Ramat HaShofet and no stranger to Givat Haviva having visited many times with overseas groups in the past, accompanied the Westminster congregants during their week long stay in Israel.
