Who would have thought of moving to Hebron during those four years? Who would have guessed that the road sign was sheer prophecy? And now, as I write this article, while celebrating 12 years since my Aliya, I watch my wife busily packing my Seforim into boxes, as we prepare to move to Charsina! We have become part of the SO DO WE GROW prophecy! There is a four story mansion awaiting us with 12 rooms, two patios and four balconies, each overlooking the holy, ancient city of Hebron.

Personally, I was hoping to find a nice quiet apartment in Jerusalem. I've had enough of ten years of driving through Intifadas and Arab populated refugee camps. But my wife wanted to rent this house, so Hebron, here we come!

In a few days the new super highway will be ready, featuring two tunnels and a bridge. Add to this the new bypass Chalchul road which is already active, drive-time to Charsina will be reduced to 21 minutes instead of the 40 minutes it used to take - and the roads avoid Arab populated areas!

Now that I am moving to Hebron, I am feeling that it is a unique privilege to become a resident of the very first Jewish settlement in Eretz Yisroel, where our grandparents Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov lived. And I recall my own Mesirat Nefesh regarding Chevron.

Nearly ten years ago I had decided to do Kiddush Levana every month in the Meoras Hamachpelah. The outbreak of the Intifada didn't stop me. I would take a carload of children with me as I risked rock throwing on the little road from Maale Amos. When I'd arrived in Chevron, I found soldiers surprised to find a visitor to the Tomb of Machpelah. And, with the Arab guard watching us, we would sing the entire Kiddush Levana service and dance in a circle.

I remember when I talked my friends in Maale Amos into going to Chevron the night after Simchat Torah. A full bus of people braved burning tires and flying rocks along the Chevron road, as we made it to the cave and danced with the holy Torah.

When I once thought about how Kalev Ben Yefuna saved himself by running to pray at the Meoras HaMachpelah, I made it my business to sleep in the Meoras HaMachpela every Tisha B'Av. Even the last three years, when thecave is closed from 9:30 p.m. until the morning, I slept each Tisha B'Av on the grass in front of the holy site.

And I'll certainly never forget when I drove to Chevron winery to get wine for Purim and I was the first person on the scene of a drive-by shooting. When I witnessed Hakodosh Baruch Goldstein saving a Jew's life before my very eyes. And Purim night, when I came to Meoras HaMachpela to do Kiddush Levana, only 6 hours before the Goldstein revenge massacre, when the Arab custodian, who had by now become my friend, explained to me that the Army had closed Ulam (Hall of) Yitzchok after Arabs had chanted "Slaughter the Jews".

And my quick decision last Erev Yom Kippur, to spend the High Holy Day in the Meoras HaMachpela. And, not imagining that the metal detector was activated even on Yom Kippur, I walked through it with keys in my pocket, causing the buzzer to ring!

When I protested this outrage, a soldier said, "Shtock! (shut-up) Goldstein,"and they claim that I called the soldier "one of Rabin's dogs"! I'd have had the privilege of spending Yom Kippur in a Hebron lock-up if not for an officer who said he'd deal with me after the Chag.

And I guess it was no coincidence that on Shabbat 18th of Av, I just happened to see somewhere that today is exactly 67 years since 67 holy Jews were massacred in Hebron and many others maimed by the murderous parents of the "peaceful" Arab residents of Hebron. I spent the entire Shabbos reading about the massacre and it's holy victims.

September 1st is the day that I will be "reborn" as a new resident of Hebron. May we all merit to be at home in Hebron and the absolute truth of the popular bumper sticker, CHEVRON FOREVER!