“Some of the children of Judah (returning from the Babylonian exile) settled in the villages, in their open areas: in Kiryat Arbah (i.e. Hebron) and its suburbs” (Nehemiah 11:25)
By Nosson Shulman, Licensed Tour Guide
After the destruction of the first Temple in 422 BCE (some say 586 BCE) the Jewish people were exiled to Babylonia. Never before, had a people been driven from their homeland yet observed their customs for more than a few years. It would only be a matter of time until they assimilated and ceased being a distinct nation of their own. But G-d had different plans!
Fifty years later the mighty Persian Empire conquered Babylonia and its territory, becoming the new rulers of Israel. Miraculously, during this time the Jewish people had remained a distinct nation who had preserved their religion. Their yearning to return one day to their homeland had never ceased.