Aaron Domb Reveals Secret 1980 Visit to Cave of the Patriarchs Uncovering Ancient Artifacts

Aaron (Dompa) Domb, a founder of the Hesder Yeshiva in Kiryat Arba and former Secretary General of the Yesha Council, recounted a secret visit he and his friends made to the Cave of the Patriarchs in 1980. This interview is part of the "Documentation of Veterans and Founders of the Settlement" project by the Ministry of Heritage and the Council for the Preservation of Heritage Sites in Israel, aiming to preserve the stories of early settlers across regions including the Jordan Valley, Judea, Samaria, Benjamin, the Golan, and the Galilee.

Domb described how during the Ten Days of Repentance in 1980, they conducted tours explaining the structure of the Cave but sought proof that the patriarchal tombs were indeed there, despite the status quo forbidding entry into the cave itself. The young group planned their covert exploration meticulously, taking advantage of the Waqf's prayers ending and the open site at night. They lifted floor tiles in the Isaac Hall, crawled through a tunnel, and explored chambers where the Waqf claimed the tombs were located but initially found nothing.

Eventually, they discovered a protruding stone on the floor, removed it, and crawled about 16.5 meters to find a cave ceiling just 80 centimeters above filled with pottery shards. They also spotted an arch suggesting another cave. After collecting broken pottery pieces and taking measurements and photos, they restored the site and left quietly as prayers concluded.

The artifacts were later given anonymously to Professor Ze'ev Yeivin of the Hebrew University, who confirmed the items dated back to the patriarchal period. This realization deeply impressed Domb, confirming they had indeed been inside the Cave of the Patriarchs. The full interview is available as part of the heritage project’s extensive oral history archive.