At a special preparation meeting held today (Thursday) at the offices of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council, attended by Minister Aryeh Deri, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Holy Places, Deputy Minister of Finance Itzik Cohen, MK Danny Seyda, Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Oded Plus, Director General of the Holy Places Development Authority Yosef Schwinger, Head of the Merom HaGalil Council, senior police and traffic department officials, representatives of the Ministry of Transportation and more - Aryeh Deri said: "Despite the great preparation and efforts of all parties, we are very far from what the State of Israel should have invested in the Rashbi monument in Meron.".
Deri added: "In contrast, at the Tomb of Yitro in Kfar Hitim, one can see the state's enormous investment in the magnificent complex, the wide access roads, and all the infrastructure in the area. I applaud them, but why is there no proper investment in a holy site like Meron, which attracts about two million visitors a year, and over half a million during the festival? Minimal things are missing there. This public deserves no less than others.".
Deri continued: "I did a calculation, if you divide the 15 million that the state invests in the Lag BaOmer celebration by the number of attendees, it turns out that it invests only 25 shekels per person. That's a little bit. It's time to think big about the Rashbi website and simplify the bureaucracy to turn it into something big and respectable as it should be.".
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
""The Rashbi's celebration in Meron is a major event by any measure. This year it will be on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, when hundreds of thousands are expected to arrive at the holy site in Meron. I called the special meeting to be sure that preparations are being made properly and coordinated with all parties.".
During the meeting, Director General Joseph Schwinger reviewed the comprehensive preparedness of all security, traffic, rescue and emergency agencies and presented the many improvements that have been made in the field.
A police representative said that the Rashbi celebration is the largest event in Israel from the police perspective, and no fewer than 5,000 police officers are recruited for it.
""This is an event with a great deal of complexity. 20,000 people participate in the grand lighting of the Bayan Hasidic lamp, and throughout the night and day hundreds of thousands arrive. Starting Wednesday morning, the entire complex will become sterile and no vehicles will be allowed in. I am convinced that this year our performance will be better.".
MK Sayeda reviewed the major renovation work being done on the Aliya LeZion route, funded by the Ministries of Religious Affairs and the Negev and Galilee, in which all infrastructure systems, sewage, water, lighting, communications, gardening, and more were replaced, and noted that this work will be completed in about two months.
Rabbi Rabinowitz detailed the innovations that were carried out this year at the site and its surroundings, such as the installation of luxurious toilets and more, and also presented the immediate plans for an extensive renovation of the entire priests' balcony and the construction of two floors, as well as the installation of new holy arks and the replacement of all the furniture in the Holy Place, funded by donors and benefactors.
Minister Deri concluded: "I am impressed that the preparations are being conducted properly, with a focus on upgrades and drawing lessons. I wanted to praise all the parties assisting in promoting the site, Deputy Minister Yitzhak Cohen, who devoted all his energy to the issue in raising budgets, the Ministries of Religious Affairs and Transportation, the police, and the Holy Places for their efforts on the issue.".
