Meron to Get Millions for Upgrades

YERUSHALAYIM
Meron on Lag B'Omer Photo by Meir Vaknin/Flash90
Meron on Lag BaOmer. (Meir Vaknin/Flash90)

Interior Minister Rabbi Aryeh Deri – who is also still Minister of the Negev, Galilee, and Periphery as well – plans to allocate millions of shekels to upgrade the infrastructure at the kever of Rashbi in Meron. The improvements will begin immediately, in the hope that most of them will be completed by Lag BaOmer.

In a statement, Deri’s office said that money will be allocated for new sidewalks, roads, traffic circles, and lighting, to make reaching the site easier. In addition, more benches, sinks, and parking areas will be installed. The total cost of the upgrades will be about NIS 9.5 million.

The project was presented by Rabbi Deri at a meeting in his office this week with askanim and community members who help organize the large groups that come to the site all year, especially on Lag BaOmer. Deri said that he would personally keep track of the progress of the changes. “We will do everything we can to make things easier for the hundreds of thousands who come up to the tziyun each year.

“The tziyun is a holy place where as many as half a million people come to during the week of the hilula of Rashbi,” added Deri. “The least we can do is to try an ensure that these visitors are able to pray in a dignified manner.”

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