The Story of Aharon Hershler: A Pioneer Lost

Aharon Hershler is remembered as the first Jewish casualty of violent conflict in the Land of Israel. Born in 1850 in Savaad, Hungary, Aharon journeyed with his father, Rabbi Yosef Shmuel, on a rickety ship to the Holy Land at the age of ten. They settled in Hebron, but met with hardship, prompting a move to Jerusalem's Old City, close to the Western Wall. Rabbi Yosef Shmuel, a prominent community leader, was appointed head of 'Kollel Ungarin', overseeing the distribution of donations to Hungarian expatriates.

It was a time when neighborhoods outside Jerusalem's walls were beginning to rise. At 20, Aharon married Hadassah Weinstein, also a Hungarian immigrant. Known for his strength and bravery, Aharon became one of the ten night watchmen safeguarding 'Mishkenot Shaananim'. Built by Moses Montefiore, this neighborhood perched on a hill opposite Jaffa Gate was a frequent target for robbers. Hadassah, a woman of valor, leased one of Montefiore's famous flour mills, using its earnings to support the family.

The fledgling neighborhood lacked water sources, relying on barrels bought from Silwan villagers, who controlled the Gihon Spring. In 1873, though, heavy rains refilled Mishkenot Shaananim's cisterns, eliminating their need to buy water. The Silwan villagers, in response, began raiding the neighborhood. One night, Aharon confronted a robber band led by the infamous Abu Isa. He fiercely repelled them, but realizing Aharon recognized him, Abu Isa shot and killed him, marking the first Jewish death by Arab violence. Aharon was laid to rest on the Mount of Olives.

Hadassah, known by Arab neighbors as 'Sit al-Tahuna' or 'Lady of the Mill', made a good living from her work, refusing almsgiving. She raised goats, traded in Dead Sea salt, and excelled in various trades. She soon remarried Yehuda Rab, another Hungarian immigrant. Her intentions were to labor so Yehuda could devote himself to Torah study, yet over time, it became clear he lacked the zeal for learning, drifting into different ventures. Discontented, Hadassah divorced him.

Yehuda Rab moved to the new settlement of Malabes, later known as Petah Tikva. There, who tilled its first furrow, dug its first well, and served as its guardian. Their son Shlomo joined him to help on the farm, with the promise he would be sent to cheder for Torah study. But rumors reached Hadassah that Shlomo roamed barefoot, chasing chickens rather than fulfilling their agreement. One morning, disguised as an Arab peasant, Hadassah arrived with a horse-drawn cart, found her son, and forcefully took him back. To argue with Hadassah was futile, only to heed her. Back in Jerusalem, Hadassah hired a private tutor for Shlomo, immersing him in Talmud studies from dawn to dusk, where he thrived as much as he had in the fields. His father, initially worried by his disappearance, understood upon hearing Bedouins' accounts of his capture by an Arab woman, acknowledging Hadassah's righteousness.

Years of study revealed Shlomo's exceptional talents, leading Jerusalem's rabbis to appoint him head of the Meah Shearim Yeshiva. Sharp and energetic like his parents, he addressed numerous significant community concerns. Hadassah outlived him, nurturing her children and grandchildren in her Mishkenot Shaananim home.