Meet Avraham and Sapir Bloch of Bet El

Meet Avraham (24) and Sapir (22) Bloch of Bet El.

By Uziel Sabato, originally appeared in the Bet El Magazine, Parshat Nitzavim 5779

Translated by Hillel Fendel and edited by Dena Udren

Avraham and Sapir Bloch outside the Knesset

The Beginning: Sapir came to Bet El from Gan Yavneh, near Ashdod, after having studied in Midreshet HaRova in the Old City of Jerusalem. Avraham grew up in the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood of the capital, and studied in Yeshivat Bet El – and that's why they're here!

Avraham explains: "I learned in the Yeshiva, and I wanted to remain connected to it even as I continued with the next stages of my life. Living in Bet El gives me that connection, at least to some extent."

Sapir guides tourists in the Western Wall Tunnels and the Holy Basin around the Old City and is studying health systems in Ariel College. Avraham is working for the Knesset Channel as a researcher behind the scenes.

Bet El: "Many young couples that did not grow up here," Sapir says, "find that the social life is somewhat lacking. There is no place where all the young couple can gather, and that's a bit problematic."

"But all in all," she says, "life in Bet El is quite comfortable. We have a large supermarket, a post office, frequent bus transportation, a swimming pool, many synagogues, and more. Everything requires effort, and we chose to live here in Bet El where the value of settling the Land of Israel can be expressed in the best way possible."

This point requires elaboration, and Avraham volunteers: "The fulfillment of prophecy and our national dream happens right here. As the Prophet Amos said, 'Days are coming, says G-d, when I will return the captivity of My people Israel, and they shall rebuild desolate cities and inhabit [them], and they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine… and they shall never again be uprooted from upon their land.'" (Amos 9)