Special Center for Ichud Hatzalah to Transmit Vital Information to Chareidim on Shabbos

By Hamodia Staff

In light of the serious situation prevailing in our Eretz Yisrael, Rabbanim in Eretz Yisrael have tasked Ichud Hatzalah to gather all relevant information from the Home Front Command as well as all security and rescue bodies, and to be the intermediaries between the Rabbanim and Chareidi communities for the transmission of messages and instructions on Shabbos.

At a special meeting held the halachic division of Ichud Hatzalah, Harav Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz, who serves as the head of the organization, Harav Naftali Halperin, the head of the Chareidi desk in the information branch of the Home Front Command, and Major Danny Cohen, a review was made of the events that took place this past Shabbos, and of the preparations and concerns for the future.

At the end of the meeting, the Rabbanim issued a letter calling for the establishment of a designated center that, if necessary, would gather all the relevant life-saving information from the Home Front Command and appoint a representative in each community whose job it will be to be in contact with the designated center in order to transfer the information to the Rabbanim of the community. The letter was signed by the Hagaon Harav Sariel Rosenberg, shlita, Hagaon Harav Yehuda Silman, shlita, Hagaon Harav Moshe Shaul Klein, shlita and Hagaon Harav Masoud Ben Shimon Shalita.

Rav Halperin, appointed for this purpose by the Rabbanim, explained that the recent events have increased the urgent need to establish such an arrangement. The murderous terrorist incidents that took place on the holiday of Simchat Torah happened in close proximity to shuls and residential areas of communities that were unaware of the attack taking place nearby and did not evacuate to a protected area.

Rav Jacob Rosenberg, the director of the halachic division of the Ichud Hatzalah, explained that the halachic division of Ichud Hatzalah was authorized by the Home Front Command to receive the relevant reports, and after consultation with Rabbanim, the instructions will be passed through halachic coordinators and volunteers in the branches to the Rabbanim of the communities and shuls throughout the country.