BEIT JANN, Israel — For the past 15 months, the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation has placed Lions of Judah across Israel. Together, these sculptures comprise the Lion’s Trail.
The purpose of the Trail is to create a cultural journey reflecting Jewish historical presence and legitimacy in the Land. It counters those who deny it.
The Lions are powerful, stoical giants, 9’ in height, 11’ if you include the bases. They are the sculptural creations of noted artist Sam Philipe, a sixth-generation Jerusalemite. Nothing like them existed before in Israel.
With skill and focus, not infrequently with considerable courage, Philipe has stayed the course to complete what others would have shied away from.
When the Hamas killers and their eager Gazan supporters attacked the virtually defenseless Gaza Kibbutzim on October 7, they did not care who they killed. They killed Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Druze, indiscriminately.
The terrible Hamas-incited war is not about Jews – it is about people everywhere who do not wish to live under the tyranny of an imposed theocratic-centered dictatorship.
The defenders in the South against Hamas and in the North against Hamas’ Iranian ally, Hezbollah, fought and are fighting like Lions, observed an Israeli General to JASHP.
The General was from Beit Jann, an Israeli Druze town in Northern Galilee.
There are about 150,000 Druze living mostly in Northern Israel. They are a very private community that speaks Arabic and has Arabic roots that are tangentially associated with Islam and its conquest of the Middle East. They have evolved their own, independent approach to God. It has caused them to be severely treated by mainstream Islam as heretics.
In 1948, during Israel’s War of Independence, the Arab armies and Arab communities of Northern Israel rose to exterminate the Jews. They demanded the Druze join them.
Long experience with the Arab world, made the Druze reticent and realistic. If they joined in the extermination of the Jews in their Holy War of Jihad, would the Druze be safe? Would they be next?
The Druze chose. They chose to join the Jews as allies. The Israeli Druze have been important, reliable allies ever since. More than 80% of Druze recruits choose to be in combat units.
Friends must never be overlooked.
The Mayor of Daliyat, Rafik Halabi, wrote to JASHP: “I am really grateful for this opportunity to thank you for your dignity and giving my city this great gift of the Flame of Friendship. The Druze community has a great partnership that is referred to as the ‘Covenant of Blood.’ We would like to see you here when you visit Israel to thank you in the city council… Please give my regards to all the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation’s members. Looking forward to enlarge our partnership in another project in the coming future.” –Rafik Halabi – Mayor.
When the Druze IDF General asked JASHP for a Lion for Beit Jann, approximately 45 miles northeast of Daliyat el Carmel, there was no hesitation. The answer was yes.
The Lion was fabricated and installed. It is called the “Lion of Brotherhood.”
The Druze transformed the Lion. I did not know of the additions until I saw the pictures.
Eight Druze soldiers have fallen in the terrible Hamas war so far. The Beit Jann community chose to add photographic plates of their fallen to the base of their Lion. They transformed the Lions Trail of Beit Jann into a war memorial for all the fallen Druze of the War.
The Lion’s Trail of Beit Jann took on an entirely new dimension—a painful one, but a very poignant one.
The dedication plate on the Beit Jann Lion reads.
The Lion’s Trail – The Lion of Brotherhood
“How good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Psalms 33:1 – King David
The Jewish and Druze people have lived here for over Millennia.
Donated by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation In cooperation with Netivei Israel, Bet Jan Council, and Nasige Organization
Sculptor: Sam Philipe May 2024”
A ninth photograph will be added shortly to the Lion of Beit Jann. Captain Wasim Mahmoud, from Beit Jann, fell in Rafah this week.
One prayer sits heavily in all hearts…
“God, please let there be no more pictures of fallen added to the Lion’s Trail – Beit Jann or any memorial, for any more fallen anywhere in Israel.”
*
Jerry Klinger is the President of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.