The default is imminent: United Torah Judaism faction chairman, MK Menachem Eliezer Mozes, toured Meron with Tourism Minister Uzi Landau, in preparation for Lag BaOmer events.
• For the special channel: Celebrating Lag BaOmer among the Haredim 10
The meeting was attended by representatives of all relevant bodies and ministries: Tourism, Transportation, Police, Holy Places, Ministry of Health, Regional Council, and more.
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Minister Landau went over all the issues with those present, one by one, and found out what the remaining problems were. The answers given on the spot indicate good assessments and readiness of the field.
When they came to the issue of transportation, MK Mozes said: "I've been here for 65 years. They made a plot for me here. Meron is improving year by year thanks to everyone's great efforts. Schwinger, Deri, Edri, and if Mordechai Halperin is happy, that's something... The site looks great compared to previous years. I want to address the change in the traffic issue.
""Seven years ago, there was a collapse because thousands of cars arrived with permits to climb the mountain. They canceled the permits and prepared parking lots for private vehicles (from which they traveled to Meron in shuttles). A situation arose where the parking lots were completely filled. Now they have decided that travel to the Meron area in private vehicles will not be allowed at all, but only by public transportation. That's fine. But we need to make sure that there is plenty of public transportation. Like to the Western Wall on Chol HaMoed.".
""The problem today is the shortage of buses, due to the fact that schools will be held on Lag BaOmer this year. You promise to provide public transportation, but where will you get buses? The companies cannot provide buses! If there are not enough buses - this will be the mother of all collapses. Until the matter is settled, the entire transportation system is on hold.".
The Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs also demanded a solution to the shortage of buses.
The Minister of Tourism reported to those present that he spoke by phone, during the meeting, with Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron and that he was supposed to hear proposals from him towards the afternoon.
However, the Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs surprised by reporting that he had just texted with the Minister of Education and it appears that his ministry's decisions are not subject to change.
According to the Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, they were surprised by the Ministry of Education's decision.
As you may recall, at the beginning of the year the Ministry of Education issued a holiday schedule, which determined that the Lag BaOmer holiday would begin in official schools on Monday - the day after Lag BaOmer. In Haredi schools, it is known that it is not official - the holiday will take place as usual on Sunday.
The fact that there will be school classes on Lag BaOmer itself requires transportation companies to provide transportation to schools and makes it difficult for them to allocate buses for the transportation system for Lag BaOmer celebrations in Meron.
