Rav Moshe Tuvia Lieff to Host Urgent Breakfast Meeting Regarding Har Hazeisim

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lieffThe current critical period for the future of Har Hazeisim and the unity of Yerushalayim will be the subject of an urgent breakfast meeting to be hosted by Rav Moshe Tuvia Lieff Shlita, rov of Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin in Flatbush, Brooklyn, on Sunday May 11th at his home.

“I am taking this unprecedented step of hosting this meeting in my home because Har Hazeisim is a sacred treasure of Am Yisroel. Its future as a mokom kodosh is in serious jeopardy,” said Rav Lieff. He added: “This is not the responsibility of a few askonim who have done such a remarkable job in the last few years of bringing some order and security to Har Hazeisim; it is the responsibility of each and every member of Klal Yisroel.”

The event is to support the efforts of the International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeisim, chaired by Avrohom Lubinsky. His brother Menachem, a well known askan and President of Lubicom will join Malcolm Hoenlein in co hosting the event.

Mr. Hoenlein, who is CEO/Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said: “Har Hazeisim is essential to keeping Yerushalayim united. Arab expansionism is increasingly threatening to divide Yerushalayim. Assuring that Har Hazeisim is accessible and secure stands in the way of those plans to isolate parts of Yerushalayim including our sacred sites. We must preserve Jewish sovereignty over Har Hazeisim and see to its security so that every Jew can visit safely and securely.

Rav Yakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe, as well as other members of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah are expected to attend the breakfast. In addition, many prominent askonim are also expected to attend.

Har Hazeisim is the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in the world, dating back over 3,000 years and is the resting place for over 150,000 people. Despite being in Israeli hands, the cemetery remained largely neglected until May 2010 when Israel’s State Controller Micha Lindenstrauss issued a stinging report on the neglect and abuse of Israel’s second holiest site. He blamed successive Israeli governments for virtually neglecting the cemetery. This shocking report prompted Avrohom Lubinsky, a Brooklyn NY businessman, to create the International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeisim.

The Committee has thus far managed to persuade the Israeli authorities to install 142 surveillance cameras in addition to a 24/7 Command Center. After extensive lobbying at the highest level of government, a police substation was finally established in March 2012. The police station has been a further deterrent to the criminal activity by Arab youths. The Committee continues to lobby the government to increase the police detail on Har Hazeitim to better protect the access roads as well as people living in the nearby Jewish housing, including Maale Hazeitim. To deny Arab vandals easy access to graves and mourners, a series of new fences was installed as part of a broader plan to secure some of the individual sections of Har Hazeitim. For the first time, the Municipality of Jerusalem conducts regular sanitation services on the mountain. Previously, Har Hazeitim was a dumping ground for local Arabs including garbage and discarded construction material, making parts of the Mountain look like a “junk yard.”

Despite these accomplishments graves continue to be destroyed and mourners and visitors routinely stoned. The Committee has stepped up its efforts for full security for the ancient cemetery where regular burials continue even today. In addition, it is continuing its efforts for many new projects to increase security and demonstrate Jewish sovereignty.

{Gavriel Sitrit-Matzav.com Newscenter}


1 COMMENT

  1. And don’t forget how our dear Jordanian allies used matzayvos as paving stones. I hope they will provide adequate leadership. Our honor and integrity are on the line. Any person or party that advocates loss of Jewish control of Har Zaysim should be clearly identified and challenged.

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