THE ANCIENT CEMETERY OF HEVRON This cemetery has always one of great importance for the entire Jewish world particularly since the renewal of the Jewish community of Hevron five hundred years ago.  There were about five thousand graves which were desecrated by the Arabs (in the years 5708-5727) who plowed the field under and used it to grow vegetables.  With the r enewal of the Jewish community in Hevron in 5728, the communal gravesite of the martyrs of 5689 was reconstructed and work was begun to maintain the few graves which survived, particularly in the rabbinic section and in the upper section.  The Hida mentions the following great leaders who are buried here.  [Their books as listed by the Hida are in parentheses.] R' Avraham Azoulai (Hesed leAvraham) R' Avraham Konki R' Aharon Alfandari R' Aharon Ben-Haim R' Eliyahu De-Vidash (Reishit Hochma) R' Eliyahu of Lublin R' Eliezer ben Arha, student of the Ari z"l R' Binyamin Zeevi R' David Yitzhak R' Chaim Katz (Eretz HaHayyim) grandson of the SM"A R' Hanania Ishpareil R' Yehudah Kabilio R' Yehosef Konki R' Yitzhak Azoulai R' Yitzhak Zerahia Azoulai R' Yitzhak Ben Gamliel R' Israel Zeevi R' Malkiel Aschkenazi R' Moshe HaLevi the Nazzir R' Shelomo Adani (Melechet Shelomo) R' Eliyahu Mani, the Rav of Hevron R' Hizkiyahu Medini (Sede Hemed), Rav of Hevron R' Suleiman Mani R' Chaim Rahamim Yosef Franco R' Moshe b"R Avraham Perrera