New Synagogue Installed in Revived Homesh Settlement 21 Years After Disengagement

Twenty-one years after the evacuation of Homesh under Israel's disengagement plan, a new synagogue was installed today in the resettled community located in northern Samaria. The building will serve families who have moved there in recent months, with a dedication ceremony and Torah scroll inauguration planned for the Hebrew month of Elul. This event coincides with the 21st anniversary of the disengagement from Gush Katif and northern Samaria, following the recent annulment of the disengagement law in the Homesh area and approval for the return of Jewish settlers.

During the synagogue's delivery, Doron, one of the truck drivers who brought the building, recalled participating in the evacuation 21 years ago when heavy machinery was brought to demolish the settlement. He contrasted that with today's mission to bring a house of worship, saying, "Today we bring a synagogue. Blessed be His name."

Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council, described the day as a "deep national rectification and historic closure," emphasizing the community's return with faith, justice, and determination. He stated the synagogue's installation is part of a "connection plan" to strengthen and expand Jewish settlement in northern Samaria. Dagan highlighted the symbolic replacement of evacuation cranes with construction cranes, affirming the community's growth and resilience.

Benny Gal, a resident and founder of the "Homesh First" movement, linked the synagogue's establishment to the anniversary of the disengagement, noting that adding a sacred building during this time symbolizes placing Torah at the center of settlement life. He expressed hope that the upcoming High Holidays would mark the synagogue's formal dedication and the community's continued return to northern Samaria.