Sha’anboim (Etz-Hadar), Yisroel Chaim
Son of Chaya Beila and Meir. He was born in 1846 in the old town of Batei Machse in Jerusalem, where his father was an activist of the old Yishuv and one of the founders of the Beit Mahaseh neighborhood in the Old City. It was a bold step at the time, because sitting outside the walls was dangerous for all the inhabitants, not to mention the Jews, and Israel was involved in the founding of Mea She’arim in 1875 and was one of the first settlers there. In this new neighborhood he lived with his family and raised his four children. On Friday night, on 3 Nisan, April 2, 1881, an Arab rioter broke into the neighborhood, first took over the neighborhood guard and arrived at the house of the baker Gedalyahu Becker, who was surprised by the arrival of the rioter and while he was busy inside the house, he beat him in the face and bruised his body, even succeeded with some of the residents of the neighborhood to tie him with ropes, but the burglar managed to free himself and during the battle he was wounded with a sword. Chaim continued to fight the rioter and this time he was wounded. The rest of the residents of the neighborhood, including the women and children, managed to evict the Arabs gathered around the neighborhood. Israel’s life deteriorated, the little medical help that could be served to him did not help, and after seven days of severe suffering, on 10 Nisan, 9 April 1881, he took his last breath. He was brought to rest on the Mount of Olives. He left parents, a wife with two sons and two daughters. In his lament, his bereaved father said: “… my eyes will go down with water, for in the eyes of my eyes my precious precious son has been cut off, and God desires his commandments, and the love of my soul, the beloved and the beloved.” The land will not cover its blood. “At the fresh grave, Rabbi Yosef Rivlin called from the leaders of the Yishuv the verse from Ezekiel 16:6 ” nd I shall pass over you, and I will see you submerged in your blood, and I will tell you in your blood”.
