After Yaakov buries Rachel on the way to Efrat-Bethlehem, he and his family continue on to his father Yitzchak’s home in Mamre-Kiriat Arba-Hevron.
On the way (Breisheet 35:21) we read:
Israel (Yaakov) journeyed on and he pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.
We don’t know the exact location of Migdal Eder, but we know that it is in the Judean hills, between Jerusalem and Hevron.
Migdal Eder means tower of the flock. In modern times, Migdal Eder became the first Yishuv (settlement) on the land of Gush Etzion.
In 1927, during the British mandate, the Yishuv of Migdal Eder was established by residents of Mea Shearim and its first inhabitants were Yeminite Jews from Tel Aviv. A company called Zichron David (in memory of Rabbi David of Kotzk) was set up by Yitchak Greenwald to manage the religious settlement whose purpose was to buy land and promote agriculture near Jerusalem hoping that this would hasten the redemption and the coming of the Mashiach.
Unfortunately, the Yishuv of Migdal Eder only existed for two years. The inhabitants lived under very difficult conditions with not enough water or land that was suitable at the time for agriculture. The people who moved there also didn’t have experience in agriculture or suitable tools to work the land properly. Another problem that they encountered was a snowstorm that kept them isolated for weeks with very little food. The huts that they lived in were not strong enough to keep them warm. Many of the residents moved out after the storm. During the riots of 1929, neighbouring Arabs planned an attack. Everyone who was left on the Yishuv was evacuated before the Yishuv was burned down.
In 1977, 50 years after Migdal Eder was originally established, Kibbutz Migdal Oz was set up on the same piece of land. The kibbutz was named Migdal Oz based on the verse in Mishlei 18:10: “The Name of God is Migdal Oz (a tower of strength); through it a righteous person will race and be strong.
Migdal Oz was the third religious kibbutz that was established in the Gush Etzion region after the Six Day War. Kfat Etzion and Rosh Tzurim were established first.
Today, in addition to factories and agriculture on the Kibbutz, Migdal Oz houses a women’s Beit Midrash, Herzog College and Yeshivat Machanayim.
We are blessed to be able to walk in the footsteps of our forefathers and see the locations that they passed and how they are thriving today.
The message of Migdal Eder is not to give up. If something doesn’t work the first time we should still try again.
