April 22, 1998 Tranquility Mixed with Blood
April 25, 1998 "The Voice of Thy Brother's Blood Crieth
Unto Me From The Ground (Genesis 4:10-12)
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Jerusalem, April, 22, 1998
The Women in Green extend their deepest sympathy to the Dribin family on the brutal
murder of their son/husband/father, Dovi, by Arab terrorists. "May God avenge his
blood."
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Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David Wilder
The Jewish Community of Hebron
Tranquility Mixed with Blood
Dovi Dribin wasn't a friend of mine. I don't remember ever even speaking
with him. But he was a familiar sight in Kiryat Arba for many years. He was
hard to miss - a big fellow, tall and muscular. And he was quite
conspicuous - more often than not he was sitting atop a huge horse,
prancing through the streets.
Dovi Dribin's father Eddie is described by many as a 'cowboy.' A
gruff-looking man, he preceded his son on horseback. To the best of my
recollection, he came to Israel in the 1950's after serving in the US army
in the Korean War. He was employed for many years in security-related jobs.
He moved to Kiryat Arba in the early 1970's, not long after the
establishment of the community.
Dovi Dribin married Adi, a strong-willed woman, a couple of years older
than himself. Together they had four children - four boys. The oldest is
seven and a half. The youngest, less than a year old. The five year old,
Nir, suffers from cerebral palsy. His legs don't work. But his head does.
One of the speakers at the funeral told how he sat with Nir in the Maon
community sandbox earlier today. Nir started telling him Bible stories,
focussing around King David. He related the story of David and Goliath, and
told how David had wandered in the same fields, near his own house, trying
to escape King Saul. When asked who had taught him these stories, Nir
answered: "My father, when we would ride together on his big horse, through
the fields."
Two years ago Dovi and Adi moved to Maon, a small agricultural community
about 20 minutes south of Hebron. Maon's 40 families work fields, milk
cows, grow fruit, and raise children. An overwhelming majority of Maon's
residents are children. The total population is somewhere over 200. Adi
Dribin, aside from child-raising and fully participating in her husband's
activities, works in the community's nursery school.
Dovi Dribin wasn't your normal kind of guy, who could live just like
everyone else. Not too long after the family moved to Maon they requested
to live on the outskirts of the community, in a house separated from the
others. Dovi liked the feeling of openness - and didn't like to be crowded
in. From his new dwelling, Dovi could look around him and see fields and
hills. The view is breathtaking. The air is clean and the fragrances on a
spring day, like today, are something out of the Garden of Eden.
Eighteen months ago Dovi, and two of his friends, Yehoshefat Tur, nicknamed
Fetti, and Efraim (Effi) Pearl, started a small agricultural and sheep farm
on a hilltop, a few kilometers from Dovi's house. They spent much of their
time here, working the land and grazing their sheep. The hilltop is located
within the municipal boundary of the Maon community.
Several weeks ago the men were attacked by Arabs. Fetti Tur shot his pistol
in the air, to chase away the attackers. Hebron police later arrested him,
confiscated his gun, and charged him with shooting in a 'populated area.'
Only a few days ago was the weapon returned and the charges dropped.
Last week Dovi Dribin filed charges with the Hebron police against Arabs in
the vicinity. He reported that they were harassing him and had threatened
to kill him. It seems that the police ignored his complaint. This
morning, eight to ten Arabs ambushed him. When he arrived at the farm they
started pelting him with rocks and hitting him with clubs. Fetti Tur, ran
to his friend's aid. Again he tried to shoot in the air, to chase away the
attackers. However this time he was overcome and his gun taken from him.
The Arabs used this gun to shoot five bullets into Dovi Dribin - through
his heart and into his head.
Effi Pearl, hearing the noise, came running. He too was hit with rocks and
clubs. The murderers escaped. A suspect was later apprehended.
When I heard that Dovi was to be buried in the Sussia regional cemetery,
not far from Maon, I was surprised. Dovi lived most of his life in Kiryat
Arba and it seemed fitting that he should be laid to rest in Hebron. But
when I arrived at the cemetery, along with the thousands of others who
accompanied Dovi on his final journey through his beloved fields and hills,
I finally understood. The small graveyard is ensconced in the spacious
tranquility Dovi Dribin so cherished. The green fields, the wavy hills,
the blue sky - tranquility mixed together with Dovi Dribin's blood. And
soaked with tears.
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Jerusalem, April 25, 1998
"The Voice of Thy Brother's Blood Crieth
Unto Me From The Ground (Genesis 4:10-12)
Arik Asherman, as Executive Director of "Rabbis For Human Rights,"
has the blood of recently murdered Dov Dribbin on his hands!
Back in late August of 1997, he incited a group of approximately
100 Arabs and participated with them in uprooting 60 saplings on
Jewish Land and stood by silently while these Arabs seriously
beat up a Jew working that land in Maon, which is located in the
Hebron Hills. Since that time these Arabs and their brethen's
hatred of the Jews has been openly exhibited, culminating
in the recent Arab ambush murder of Dov Dribbin of that
community, and with the serious injury of two other Jews.
The blood of this young valiant former soldier can be directly
attributable not only to Asherman, but ironically to the
so-called "Rabbis for Human Rights," which employs him to engage in
such improper incitement. Asherman, and his associate rabbis,
make a mockery of the concern a Rabbi is supposed to have for his
fellow Jews.
On Sunday, April 26, 1998, at 11 A.M., in front of the offices of
the "Rabbis For Human Rights," located opposite the LaRomme Hotel
on Rechov Elchanan 2, Jerusalem, Women In Green will hold a
protest against such outrageous behavior on the part of that
organization, which has directly led to such a predictable
tragedy.
Asherman, you may not be your brother's keeper, but by now you
should know that once you incite Arabs against Jews, no Arab
restraint or peaceful discourse will follow, but rather typical
Arab violence!
Those who caused the death of this young Jewish husband and
father, including those who hide their irresponsible and unlawful
behavior under the cloak "of human rights," should be prosecuted
to the full extent of the law.
Ruth and Nadia Matar
Women in Green:
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