Starting in May 1948, for 19 years Jews could not enter the Old City.  A No-Man's Land and Jordanian snipers made attempts to enter dangerous, even deadly.

During the Six-Day War, חודש אייר, June 1967, Yerushalayim was liberated from Jordanian occupation. Yom Yerushalayim celebrations were set for כ''ח אייר, the day of liberation.

This year, with Trump's visit and the milestone Jubilee year, Yom Yerushalayim is gaining international attention. However, during the Six Day War, not only did was Yerushalayim, freed from Arab rule, but so was Gush Etzion, and all of Judea, Samaria, and the Golan Heights.

Judea and Samaria became known as the West Bank during the years of Jordanian rule.  Nevertheless, the international community has been taken with the Arab narrative, that the ancient homeland of Jewish people, which includes Shilo, the place of the Mishkan, is really Arab land occupied by Israeli settlers.

On a recent trip outside of Yerushalayim which went over the "Green Line," I photographed some of the land in question and met with a diverse group of residents in these disputed territories.  We made four stops on this private press tour.

As the van climbed up to the top of the mountain to the Neve Erez farm, the views were majestic. Noam and Tehilla Cohen proudly showed and shared what they have helped to create from nothing in the last 18 years, using natural and recycled materials. Most of the lands in question were barren, except for rocks and low brush, when the Israelis first came to build. Noam and two friends started Neve Erez, named after an army friend Erez, z"l, who fell in Lebanon.

Though coming from secular backgrounds, the Cohens are proud their community is based on Jewish tradition. Now home to twenty-five families, with a musical pub and plans for future music festivals, Neve Erez is not close to an Arab village. When asked about safety, according to Cohen, they "respect and suspect" and try to communicate with their Arab neighbors. Neve Erez has no fence surrounding it on principle, but they have dogs, and trust in G-d. Though it is a 10 minute drive to other Israeli communities for their children's education, Neve Erez is considered an 'outpost." They have most, but not all, the required permits. Cohen concludes saying that their parents came from Iraq and this is our homeland, and all we want is to "be independent in our land."

From Neve Erez, we went past the welcome sign of Kochav Yaakov to visit the Haredi community of Tel Tzion.  Daniel Goldzweig took a break from working in the local supermarket to answer questions. Coming originally from Chile, he lives in Tel Zion because, as he explained, he "came to visit friends, loved it and stayed."  He has a son serving in the army. When asked if he is afraid, Goldzweig responded, "No!" and added that he had "lived in Mexico, there is plenty to be afraid of in Mexico."  Families have a beautiful lifestyle, with new large apartments, at much more reasonable prices than in most Israeli cities. "Israel acquired this land when Arabs attacked them and lost, so it should be considered part of land of Israel," Goldzweig concluded.  

As he spoke to the foreign media in Spanish, school girls practiced nearby for Yom Ha'atzmaut celebrations with Israeli flags and music.

The third stop was Ariel, a regional hub, which has over 20,000 residents, with 42% of the residents Russian speakers. Maria Mitskoun, a Russian immigrant from Togliatti, Samara region and resident of Ariel, works at the youth center and answered questions in the center. She is not Jewish, but her husband is.  They left Russia, "because they had nothing to lose." The plant in their town was closing down, people were out of work and it was dangerous to walk the streets. She sees Ariel as welcome place to raise her children.

Avi Zimmerman, Ariel Development Fund Executive Director, originally from New Jersey, studied in Yeshiva Har Etztion and lived in Alon Shvut, before moving to Ariel with his family. Zimmerman says of Ariel, "I consider this Israel proper.  In all consensus status talks, Ariel is to stay Israeli."

Fourth, and last stop, was in Eli at the home of French immigrants, Katja and Alon Epelbaum, Established in September 1984, Eli is the home of a French absorption center.  Many French immigrants come and like Eli so much they stay to build their new lives there with support of French-speaking community and friends.  When asked about conflict and safety, Katja answered, "I left a conflict area - Paris is a conflict area. I felt I had to return, to come back to our roots.” 

Even before the murders in Toulouse, she did not see a future for her family in France. Epelbaum says she finds even the stress of Western society different in Eli, even though integration goes slowly, there is more Jewish culture. She feels safe, and is pleased that after more than 2,000 years, the miracle of Shilo, the home of the ancient tabernacle, is within Eretz Yisrael, and near her home.

American born, Hadassah Levy, a digital marketer who works from home in Eli, shared with BJL,"I made aliyah at the age of 17, having come "for the year" and decided to stay. While studying at Bar Ilan, I met my husband and we started looking into places to live. We saw posters advertising Eli and went to check it out. We were immediately charmed by the beauty and friendliness of the town. When we moved here in 1996, there were 180 families now Eli has 850 families. The yishuv has grown tremendously and we are thrilled with all the extra services we have now: a large supermarket, post office, stores and medical clinics. Despite the amazing growth, Eli has remained a small town in many ways. You can't go grocery shopping without running into tons of friends, and when someone is in need, the unfailing support is overwhelming."

Director of International Affairs, YESHA Council, Ginot Shomron, Elie Pieprz, grew up in Maryland. When asked by BJL for a comment, Pieprz provided four points: 1. Jews who live in ‘Yehuda vShomron are catalysts for peace. 2. Internationally sanctioned segregation is not a recipe for peaceful co-existence. 3. I moved my family to Israel/Karnei Shomron to live a more holistic, organic, Jewish lifestyle. 4. Aliyah has its challenges but nothing worthwhile comes easily.

For those who have never visited any of these communities, Eli resident Elisheva Blum, suggests they should come and "see what you're talking about. The center of Israel was here. We dream and are grateful, live and work and then you can have peace."