The Jewish People and the State of Israel lost a true giant this week with the passing of Moshe “Moshko” Moskowitz Z”L, who died at the age of 96. For more than eight decades, and even before the establishment of the State, Moshko dedicated his life to fighting for the Land of Israel, establishing Jewish communities, building educational institutions and Torah centers, and much more.
Moshko was synonymously tied to the Gush Etzion bloc, as at the age of 20, he was part of the core group of pioneers who founded the community of Masu’ot Yitzhak in 1945. When Gush Etzion fell at the beginning of the war of Independence, Moshko was on a mission to Cyprus, assisting Jewish families in internment camps immigrate to Israel, despite the ban imposed by the British on Jewish immigration.
Moshko was instrumental in establishing the “new” Masu’ot Yitzhak in southern Israel as Gush Etzion fell under Jordanian occupation for 19 years as a result of the Six-Day War. Moshko became the head of the Shafir Regional Council where Masu’ot Yitzhak was located, building many other communities in the region during his 20-plus year tenure in that position.
But in an interview with journalist Toby Klein Greenwald, originally published in 1990, on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Alon Shvut, a community which he founded, he admitted that even with all his accomplishments in the south, his heart never forgot Gush Etzion.
In addition to founding Alon Shvut, Moshko along with Rabbi Shlomo Riskin in the early 1980’s, founded the community of Efrat, serving as its first mayor.
Some of his other accomplishments included the establishment of the Har Etzion Hesder Yeshiva, one of the flagship Torah institutions in the religious Zionist movement. He also founded the Zomet Institute, an organization dedicated to the development of halachically-compliant technology.
In 2008, Moshko was awarded the prestigious Moskowitz Prize for Zionism (no connection to his family name), for all of his accomplishments in the Zionist endeavor.
In a twitter post following his passing, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that Moshko left behind a “trail of grand achievements on behalf of the nation and the country. Moshko played an active role in the historic transition from destruction to resurrection.”
The Prime Minister added, “Through his typical vigor, Moshko surged in the mission of rebuilding Gush Etzion … and established flourishing and prosperous communities there. Mosko’s great legacy will last for generations.”
Even as a nonagenarian, Moshko continued to be involved in the development of life in Gush Etzion. He continued to oversee the activities and accomplishments of the Har Etzion Yeshiva.
Just a few days before his passing I spoke with Moshko to discuss the establishment of new neighborhoods in the heart of Gush Etzion, including in the areas of the original Masu’ot Yitzhak.
He was adamant about the need to continue building and developing in the area, along with expanding Gush Etzion’s population. He placed a particular focus on the importance of initiating more agricultural projects here so that Israel wouldn’t lose control over the land.
It is difficult to fathom his unceasing vigor, his attention to small details, and his incredible drive to carry out the dreams he initiated.
A few months ago, we submitted a proposal for Moshko to receive the Israel Prize for his eight decades of unbelievable accomplishments. Unfortunately he passed away before receiving this honor. Thank you Moshko for everything you have given us. We will preserve your legacy and learn from it for many generations to come. Rest in peace.