Today it seems so unbelievable that for years I had never been on the road between Shvut Rachel and the Alon Road, which is a very picturesque way of traveling through the Jordan Valley and to Beit She'an and further north and lots of communities to the south. It's also an alternative road towards Jerusalem.
From my house I can see Shvut Rachel to the east, and to the east of that, both north and south, there are more Jewish communities. It's government land that had never been developed, so it's available for new Jewish towns. The new Amona is slated to be in that general area, too. At present there are about 150 families in the various Jewish communities. They are considered part of the Shiloh Bloc of yishuvim, aka Gush Shiloh. Because the road, though paved, is barely one lane, there's no public transportation. The only buses that go there are the school buses to and from Shiloh.
Yesterday when I finished teaching in Yeshiva Tichonit Ahavat Chaim at 1:15, I rushed out to tremp, hitchhike home and quickly got a ride to the junction of Hakida and Achiya. I waited there just long enough to photograph in all directions with both my phone and camera.
And then I got a ride to the Shiloh-Shvut Rachel Junction, and immediately after getting out of the car another took me to my neighborhood. The whole trip from Teachers Room to right near my house took barely half an hour. So I certainly have no complaints. Some days and directions are easier and quicker than others. It's all in the Hand of Gd. And this is Gd's Land for sure. When you celebrate Jerusalem Day, include the celebration of the liberation of Judea and Samaria, too.
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