""The number of participants will be limited, entry and access to Mount Meron will only be allowed to authorized persons, no tents will be set up in the mountain area this year, and the identity of the lit ones will be determined in advance in accordance with the framework of rules to be determined by the National Center for Holy Places.".
This is how the Minister of Religious Services, Rabbi Yitzhak Vaknin, revealed today (Sunday) the framework in which this year's Hilulat Rashbi will take place in Meron.
A special discussion held in the afternoon at the Ministry of Religious Services was attended by the Minister of Religious Services, the Ministry's Director General, Attorney Oded Plus, the Director General of the Holy Places, Yosef Schwinger, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places, Moti Bebczyk, Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr. Roy Singer, Deputy Director of the Epidemiology Division at the Ministry of Health, Israel Police representative Lt. Col. Micha Tuvel, and Israel Deri, Director of the Northern District at the National Center for Holy Places.
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Minister Vaknin said: "The issue of the Rashbi celebration was addressed by the crisis outbreak, after I realized that we are expected to be under various restrictions for an extended period. I asked the director general of the ministry to prepare a proposal that would allow the continuation of the lighting tradition on the one hand and maintain the regulations of the Ministry of Health on the other.
""It is important for us to continue the sequence of hundreds of years in which the lightings were held at the Zion Rashbi complex in Meron.".
Minister Vaknin revealed the proposal he formulated: "The lightings will be carried out in 4 complexes - Boyan, Gandhi, Me'erat Hillel, and the Toldot Aharon complex. The lighting will be attended by the rabbi or rebbe and ten additional participants. Each lighting will last about an hour. An effort will be made to adjust the time of the lighting to the time it was held each year. The lightings will be broadcast live in a manner agreed upon with the rebbes and rabbis. The event will also be broadcast on the Kol Hai and Kol Ramah radio channels, which broadcast the lightings each year.".
Minister Vaknin wanted to emphasize: "No one will be allowed in Zion or its surroundings, no guest-hosting activities will be allowed, the Zion will not be opened to the public, no VIPs will be allowed, except those whose presence is required for the fulfillment of their duties. No land-grabbing ceremonies will be allowed.".
Yosef Schwinger, CEO of the National Center for Holy Places, who was a partner in formulating the procedures, said: "A great effort is being made here to preserve the tradition of lighting, which for some of the Rebbes is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. During the most difficult times, lightings were held in Meron in honor of the Rashbi. I am glad that I have the right and the part to continue the traditions even during this challenging period.".
The Minister of Religious Services assigned the continuation of the work of preparing the draft budget to the ministry's Director General, Attorney Oded Plus.
Attorney Plus said in conclusion of the discussion: "This is a great responsibility of preserving traditions and continuity. Along with maintaining the rules of the Ministry of Health and the rules that the ministry guides.".
According to a report in Walla, so far 19 rebbes and rabbis have submitted a request to light a bonfire in Meron.
