Chief Rabbi of the Gilo neighborhood of Yerushalayim and rav/posek of the Jerusalem Religious Council, Rabbi Eliyahu Schlesinger has distributed a letter to colleagues expressing concern over the lack of burial space in the holy city. The rav points out that Har Menuchos has exhausted standard burial space and now uses tiered burial in the wall. He warns the lack of space may lead to compromising the integrity of a niftar chas v’sholom. Har HaZeisim he points out is all but full and the beis hachaim is becoming increasingly difficult to access due to the deteriorating situation.

The rav adds the Jewish state has been willing to allocate additional land, not in Jerusalem or surrounding area, but in Maale Adumim. However, when it came to preparing the area for a beis hachaim, the state halted the process due to political considerations. “How can it be acceptable that a Jewish resident of Yerushalayim cannot find his eternal rest under the Kanfei Shechina in the holy city” he questions.

The rav asks anyone with an ability to exert influence towards finding a solution to act.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

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