In a sharply worded kol korei released Wednesday morning, the Chassidise Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel called for a special day of tefillah in response to the desecration of ancient Jewish graves in the city of Yehud, where recent excavation and construction work has disrupted burial sites. The letter, signed by the leading chassidishe rebbes, designates this Thursday — Erev Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av — as a day of tefillah and spiritual awakening.
The Gedolim expressed their profound anguish over what they described as a grave affront to the dignity of shochnei afar, the deceased who lie buried in the area. The desecration, they said, constitutes not only a violation of kavod hameis but also a serious spiritual breach with dire implications for the Jewish people.
“It is a horrific reality,” the Gedolim wrote, “especially during days when Klal Yisroel is in desperate need of Heavenly mercy. This is undoubtedly something that evokes severe kitrug—Heavenly accusations.”
The letter denounces the developer Aura, whose construction project on the ancient burial site has led to the destruction of graves and the removal of bones. “For the sake of monetary gain,” they write, “they disturb the eternal rest of our ancestors, demolish their graves, and desecrate the sanctity of their burial grounds.”
In preparation for the unified declaration, Rabbi Yaakov Veltzer, secretary of the Moetzes, consulted with various admorim to draft a message that would reflect the pain and outcry of the Torah world with one clear voice.
The upcoming yom tefillah will include the recitation of specific chapters of Tehillim, selichos, and gatherings for chizuk across Jewish communities worldwide, with the goal of arousing Divine compassion and bringing an immediate end to the grave desecrations.
In their letter, the Gedolim quote the words of Chazal in Yevamos: “Because of the sins of the living, the dead are disturbed,” pointing to this event as a modern-day manifestation of that reality.
As the Nine Days approach, the Moetzes calls on every Jew to introspect, return to Hashem, and beg for the speedy rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash. “Let our cry rise from the depths of our hearts on this Thursday,” the letter concludes. “Let us restore the honor of the dead and their eternal rest. May our tefillos bring healing, redemption, and comfort to all of Klal Yisroel.”
