The Cave of Machpelah Tour (Tomb of the Patriarchs)

The Cave of the Patriarchs is one of the three most important sites for the Jewish people. The cave, which is located beneath the building that is seen today, was purchased by Avraham Avinu in order to bury his wife Sarah there. This was the first Jewish real estate deal in the land of Canaan.
Three couples are buried in the cave, Avraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca and Jacob and Leah. There is a Midrash that says that the grave of Adam and Eve is also there.

The structure we see today was built by King Herod. Throughout the ages, the Tomb of the Patriarchs was the second most important Jewish pilgrimage site. Since then Christians and Muslims have once taken over the compound. For 700 years since the days of the Mameluke Sultan Baibars, Jews were forbidden to enter the Cave of the Patriarchs. But since the Six-Day War (1967) the Jews have returned to visit the site.

Today the cave complex is divided between a Muslim area and a Jewish area. Almost every important Jew who came to the Land of Israel over the generations tried to visit and pray here.

Many visitors say that when you arrive at the Cave of the Patriarchs you can actually feel the presence of the fathers. Maybe that’s why they call them Yasheni Hebron (sleepers of Hevron).

You are invited to visit the Cave of the Patriarchs, together with JI-TOURS – Jewish Israel tours as part of the Gush Etzion and Hevron tour.