Israel is a land for which we pay a heavy price. On the 13th of May 1948, Jordanian forces massacred 127 members of Kfar Etzion.Kfar Etzion is located southwest of Jerusalem, with thousands of years of Jewish heritage, bravery, and heroism. It is one of the main trade nodes of Israel, being a major stop on the patriarchs' routes used for trade and passage for the last 4000 years – gaining its name from our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who walked along this very path.It was more recently settled in 1943 by a group of pioneers, some of whom had survived the Holocaust. They built houses out of stone and established a settlement for themselves. This was important for idealistic and security matters.Amidst the Independence War of 1948, they were protecting Jerusalem from the Jordanian army, impeding the hostile army's progress towards Jerusalem. They went through hard battles and challenges, eventually being surrounded by the Jordanian army and the local Arabs.The local Arabs harboured animosity towards the Jewish communities in the area after the Deir Yassin incident, as many of the surrounding villages fled south after Deir Yassin. The incident was an escalation which saw Jewish paramilitary forces take a strategic village in the area resulting in bloodshed.The Jordanian army and locals attacked Kfar Etzion on 13 May 1948. The main group of about 50 defenders was surrounded by a large number of Arab irregulars who shouted 'Deir Yassin' and ordered the Jews to sit down, stand up, and sit down again. Suddenly, someone opened fire on the Jews with a machine gun, and others joined in the killing. 127 Jews were murdered in Kfar Etzion. The initial survivors tried to flee but were pursued. Hand grenades were thrown into a cellar where locals had found refuge, killing a group of 50. The building was blown up. The town would come under Jordanian occupation following the end of the 1948 War. After 19 years of longing, Israel recaptured the region in 1967 (Six-Day War), and once again, Jews and the land reconnected. Today, Kfar Etzion is a flourishing land with many Jews who once again built it up. The Kfar Etzion regional council offers a range of activities, such as zip-lining, walking through Hasmonean aqueducts, multiple natural pools, the historic patriarch's room, and much more.To explore and find out more about the region or Israel, please reach out.