Maaleh Chever

We made it to Maaleh Chever a few hours before sunset. This would definitely qualify as an "ideological" settlement. Far from the closest cities of Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva, a full half hour by car, the settlement guards the approaches to the east of Hebron. In a sparsely populated, wind-whipped, dusty region, Maale Chever is a small garden in the wilderness.



The entrance to Maaleh Chever.



The Chever river, flowing from Chevron (Hebron,) passes through the Valley just below, so the government decided to name the settlement "Pnei Chever," "Facing the Chever [River.]" The residents were not consulted on the name, and wanted something more uplifting, more elevated, and so they named it "Maaleh Chever," the Chever Heights. The settlement still appears on a maps as "Pnei Chever."



We arrived and made our way to the Caravans (trailers.)


Michael immediately crashed.

Don't look directly at those blindingly white legs. They can do permanent retinal damage.

No, DON'T!

Meanwhile, the guys get ready...

... and I take a walk around the Yishuv.

Looking eastward. A decent sized playground, with well-tended flora. The white buildings and farms in the background are now-permanent Bedouin encampments which have sprung up over the last several years.

I couldn't tell if this fading poster featured right-wing activists now in prison, or victims of terror.

Looking north.

The kids are all dressed up for Shabbat already.

And the adults hang out on the lawn.

This is not a humans-only settlement.

Sunset to the east. On a clearer day, you can see the Dead Sea from here.

The guardpost at the entrance to the settlement.

"Hey, you? Why are you taking pictures?"

Our two Dutch students, getting in a last smoke before Shabbat.

And after Shabbat, the camera comes right back out...

Havdallah

We did kiddush levanah (the blessing of the new moon,) and afterwards, some dancing around.

It was a good time, let me tell ya.