Jerusalem - International Committee Vows to Restore Har Hazeitim |
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News Source: Ynet
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Jerusalem - In its first key public forum, the International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeitim (Mount of Olives Cemetery) held a major public event Saturday at the Jerusalem Great Synagogue under the banner of “Reclaiming Our Abandoned Ancestors.”
The Committee’s expressed goal is to dramatically improve the current situation of the historic burial ground which has been “racked by rampant desecrations, violence directed at visitors and general neglect.”
The Committee unveiled a list of urgent action demands spelling out key changes on the ground to ensure the safety and sanctity of the famous Jewish cemetery. In front of an audience of close to 1,000 people, Knesset Member Danny Danon (Likud), community leader Adv. David Martin and moderator Ruthie Blum Leibowitz explored the current state of the cemetery and its significance in Jewish history as well as what is needed to rehabilitate the site.
“The continuous deterioration and unmanageable situation occurring at the Mount of Olives is crying out for Israel and world Jewry to take constructive action to yield positive, sustained results,” said New York businessman Avraham Lubinsky, the founding chairman of ICPHH.
“It is a completely unacceptable situation when families visiting the graves of loved ones do so in fear of stonings and other violent attacks.”
MK Danon told those on hand, “At present, there is a need to call ahead for a security escort prior to visiting Har Hazeitim to ensure the safety of visitors to the site. This is not acceptable in Israel in 2010.
“What is lacking is one minister with both the mandate and the power to protect the Mount of Olives Cemetery and who will achieve meaningful change,” he added.
The Committee includes representatives of major Jewish organizations including Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
The historic cemetery, known in Hebrew as Har Hazeitim, overlooks Jerusalem’s Old City and is home to graves traditionally associated with Biblical figures as well as modern-day Israeli legends including Prime Minister Menachem Begin and reviver of modern Hebrew Eliezer Ben-Yehuda.
The Mount of Olives has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and is comprised of approximately 150,000 graves. The site is also holy to Christians and there are numerous churches in the vicinity.
“In recent years, the cemetery has fallen into a state of general neglect and disrepair, with local Arab villagers driving across it to take shortcuts and sometimes attacking Jewish visitors to the graves,” ICPHH said.
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Read Comments (9) — Post Yours »
1
Nov 08, 2010 at 01:41 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Long overdue....I still think it would be a real kiddush hashem and political coup if all the chareidi boys and girs who refuse to join the army would be required to spend at least half their days performing public service tasks such as cleaning up these gevorim of our tzadikim of prior generations, cleaning shuls and beis medrashim, helping to care for the sick etc. This should be mandatory. There is zero reason under either halacha or daas torah they shouldn't be required to either provide such alternative service or go to jail.
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Nov 08, 2010 at 02:33 PM reb yona Says:Report as Inappropriate
there should be more heimishe representation in this committe, people who understand the kedushe of a bais hachaim and not those who view it merely as a historical site.
i'd suggest that there should be at-least 2 chareidim for every chilony/reform committe member
3
Nov 08, 2010 at 02:45 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
The representation should be based on percentages of the population not some arbitrary estimate of which group "better understands" the kedushah of the site. Obviously, the charedim's appreciation of the kedushah was not reflected in their failure over several decades to get off their behinds and do anything to clean up the mess it has become.
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Nov 08, 2010 at 03:43 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ The representation should be based on percentages of the population not some arbitrary estimate of which group "better understands" the kedushah of the site. Obviously, the charedim's appreciation of the kedushah was not reflected in their failure over several decades to get off their behinds and do anything to clean up the mess it has become. ”
You can't do anything there without the governments backing. What do you want a group of Yeshiva Bocherim breaking the bones of the Arabs sitting there? This will only be accomplished if the government puts its backbone on this. It's long overdue and for many graves too late, but at least lets keep their feet to the fire this time.
5
Nov 08, 2010 at 05:16 PM Butterfly Says:Report as Inappropriate
The trouble is, who is going to guard at night?? Every night??
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Nov 08, 2010 at 05:53 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ The trouble is, who is going to guard at night?? Every night?? ”
The police, it's their job. Plus about 200 cameras that were scheduled to be installed and the money is already there waiting to be used. I'm shocked that the Yerushalayimer Yidden aren't the ones to scream bloody murder. Look in Wikipedia, in the category of who is buried on the Har Hazeisim. It's mind boggling.
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Nov 08, 2010 at 07:14 PM toolee Says:Report as Inappropriate
I suggest havf family members on the board. More important have a wall erected surrounding Har Hazeisim.
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Nov 08, 2010 at 11:17 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Long overdue....I still think it would be a real kiddush hashem and political coup if all the chareidi boys and girs who refuse to join the army would be required to spend at least half their days performing public service tasks such as cleaning up these gevorim of our tzadikim of prior generations, cleaning shuls and beis medrashim, helping to care for the sick etc. This should be mandatory. There is zero reason under either halacha or daas torah they shouldn't be required to either provide such alternative service or go to jail. ”
A wonderful, useful and constructive idea. Why shouldn't chareidi men and women serve their nation any way they can?
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Nov 09, 2010 at 10:55 AM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ I suggest havf family members on the board. More important have a wall erected surrounding Har Hazeisim. ”
Having family members on board is a good idea and probably the only thing that can make this work. But a wall around it is very dangerous, because while protecting the dead it will put in danger the living who come there who will be at the total mercy of the patrols promised who might or might not do their job. An open field in that part of the globe will make it much safer for everyone.