Shiloh, davka in the middle of the winter

34 Years of Jewish Life 

This Shabbat, the Jews in Shiloh are celebrating their return. The City of Shiloh is central in Ancient, Biblical Jewish History. It was the Capital City, location of the Mishkan, Tabernacle for 369 years. Unlike many other popular spiritual and tourist sites in the Land of Israel, such as Rachel's Tomb, everyone agrees that Shiloh is Shiloh.
Seven young families and a few singles moved to Shiloh on Rosh Chodesh Shvat, 5738, January, 1978, yes, this time of the year, thirty-four years ago. Considering how much ordinary, everyday technology has advanced in those few decades, it's hard to imagine how those young families managed in what was then a very isolated location, accessed via an Arab village, no phones, electricity or reliable water supply. The lived mostly in trailers and tents. A simple generator was set up, and water was trucked in periodically. An old, mostly destroyed building was given a new roof, and it served as the synagogue and yeshiva which had also been established.
Today Shiloh is a busy vibrant town of over three hundred families of all ages and from all over the world.  

 The main synagogue was built to resemble the Mishkan, Tabernacle, which had rested here for almost four hundred years in Biblical times. Our school is the district school, elementary education center, separately administered boys and girls schools educating the full eight grades.  Students come from as  far as the Jordan Valley to the east, Rechallim to the north, Maale Levona to the west and all of the smaller communities in between.  They have enrichment programs for the gifted and remedial for those who need them.

You're welcome to join their facebook page. 

Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. 

Tours can be arranged through the office. Email telshilo@gmail.com or phone 02-994-4019.

It's winter in Shiloh, and fruit trees, like the legendary grape vines and shkaydia, almond tree, is blooming already.  Out of season, the plants look dead, just like the Jewish People did in exile.  But we didn't die.  We're still alive and thriving, Baruch Hashem, thanks to G-d.