The revelry in Meron: About half a million people are expected to participate in the Lag BaOmer festivities - which began today (Thursday) in the afternoon. The 'Haredim 10' website is broadcasting the Hilula events live, around the clock, starting at 4:00 PM until tomorrow - an hour before Shabbat begins.
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Traveling by bus to Hilula in Meron? All the details you need to know
The main lighting event - which was broadcast live - was opened by the Rebbe of Bayan, when he lit the bonfire at 8:00 PM, in the traditional lighting ceremony.
The police have been deployed in large numbers: 5,000 police officers are securing the event and there will be a limit of up to ten thousand people who can be in the lighting area at any given moment.
However, there will be no limit on the number of people inside Moshav Meron and in the surrounding parking lots.
The traffic routes to Meron have been closed and access will only be possible via public transportation.
According to the agreed-upon outline, only people who hold a vaccination certificate or a green badge will be able to enter the lighting area. Three bonfires will be lit simultaneously on three different levels, while adhering to the Ministry of Health's guidelines and adapting infrastructure.
The Ministry of Transportation is calling on the public to use public transportation: 20 special trains will transport passengers to Hilula, and they will arrive in Karmiel and from there they will go up the mountain in shuttles.
The trip requires booking a travel voucher in advance. The Israel Police explain the decision: "The train is an efficient means of transportation that is capable of transporting tens of thousands of passengers safely and efficiently. While taking dozens of buses and hundreds of vehicles off the road.".
These are the times of the lighting of the lamps on Mount Meron by the Rebbes and Rabbis on the night and day of Lag BaOmer:
8:00 PM - The Rebbe of Bayan, the central lighting of the Zion roof.
21:00 - The Rebbe, Rabbi Rafael Abuhatzeira, in a compound near his seminary in the town of Meron.
21:30 - The Rebbe from the History of Abraham Yitzchak, in the permanent area - signed the History of Abraham Yitzchak. The Rebbe from Slanim, in the Bnei Akiva area (lower).
00:00 – The Rebbe from Toldot Aharon, at the Toldot Aharon complex.
00:30 - The Rebbe of Ze'u'hil, in the Lower Bnei Akiva complex.
1:30 - The Rebbe of Rachmastrywka, at the Bnei Akiva complex (Upper)
3:30 - Rabbi of Safed, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, at the Bnei Akiva complex (Upper).
Rosh Yeshiva of the Hoth Shel Chesed Gaon, Rabbi Shalom Arush, in the Hillel Cave, in the Toldot Avraham Yitzhak complex.
Yeshiva 'Oreita' from Jerusalem in the Bnei Akiva complex (lower).
4:00 - Lighting of the religious Zionist flag on the Zion roof in the Bayan complex.
7:00 - The Rebbe of Modzic at the Bayan complex.
The Breslav community in the Hillel Cave complex.
10:00 - Lighting of the Breslav community in Safed, led by the Gra Kaenig, at the Gandhi complex.
Meron in numbers:
15,500,000 celebration budget from the Ministry of Religious Services
500,000 pilgrims
7,000 round trips to Zion in Meron
4,000 buses to be available to pilgrims
5,000 police and Border Guard soldiers will secure the event
19 fires during the 24 hours of the event in various areas within Meron (the current figure is possible and subject to change).
6 terminals prepared and trained to receive the hundreds of thousands
7 government ministries (religious services, transportation, internal security, development of the Negev and Galilee periphery, health, interior, justice).
11- Governmental public bodies (Israel Police, National Center for the Development of Holy Places, Netivei Israel, National Fire and Rescue Authority, RTA, KKL-JNF, RAMI, Israel Antiquities Authority, and Home Front Command, United Hatzalah and MDA).
