Rabbi Yitzchak Koltzdeki Retraces Father’s 97-Year-Old Pilgrimage to Cave of the Patriarchs

Ninety-seven years after the original journey on the 18th of Av, 5689 (1929), Rabbi Yitzchak Koltzdeki embarks on a deeply emotional pilgrimage to Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs. He will pray at the very spot where his father once stood to recite the Birkat HaGomel blessing, acting as a special envoy for hundreds of survivors of a massacre who requested his father to bless on their behalf near the graves of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Ahead of the 18th of Av, Rabbi Koltzdeki will dedicate extended prayers at the cave, specifically for all donors to the "Kupat Ha'Ir" charity and especially for contributors to the "Rescue from Hebron" campaign. He will mention each donor by name in his prayers, asking that their heartfelt wishes be fulfilled for good and blessing.

Following the prayers, Rabbi Koltzdeki will sign the "Rescue from Hebron" document, listing the names of monthly donors to this special fund. The handwritten signature will be affixed within the Cave of the Patriarchs to invoke the merit of the forefathers for the donors throughout their lives and to ensure their righteousness endures.

The article emphasizes the unique sanctity of the Cave of the Patriarchs as the oldest and most authoritative Jewish prayer site, citing historical and Talmudic references such as Caleb ben Yefuneh’s prayers there and the prophet Jeremiah’s visit during the First Temple’s destruction. It calls on the public to contribute to the charity, highlighting the spiritual protection and blessings that come from supporting this cause and the prayers of Rabbi Koltzdeki, son-in-law of the late revered Torah leader, Maran Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky.

Donors are encouraged to secure their place among those remembered in the heartfelt prayers and to receive the signed "Rescue from Hebron" certificate, symbolizing their connection to this sacred site and its divine protection.