“Police have failed to protect directors of the chevra kadisha and the cemeteries” said MK Uri Maklev during a session of the Knesset Interior Committee addressing the lack of security for personal and the ongoing vandalism and attacks in cemeteries.
He added “The feeling is that instead of police assuming responsibility and acting to stop violence against the chevra kadishas, which has already led to the death of Benny Hasa z”l of the Haifa Chevra Kadisha, police are busy passing responsibility onto the chevra kadisha organizations themselves to arrange for private security companies. This is an ongoing failure”.
The meeting was caused in response to attacks against religious council officials in Tel Regev.
Chevra kadisha heads from around the country participated in the Knesset committee session. Maklev questioned how police are standing by while violence against chevra kadisha officials continues four years after Hasa was killed.
It was explained that the security limitations are directly the result of a lack of budget. Maklev stated one cannot speak about loss of life and monetary concerns in the same sentence and the welfare of the heads of the chevra kadisha organizations cannot be abandoned as the case is today.
Police representatives explained private security companies are responsible. It was added that in 16 cases sufficient criminal indictments were filed in the hope of achieving a conviction, but there were only convictions in three cases since the court felt evidence was lacking and Maklev explained only police can address this, not private security companies.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Why would the Israeli police want to protect the public? They were created at the beginning of the State for the purpose of protecting “The Party.” That is to say, their primary function was to protect the Bolshevik leaders of Israel. It is only in recent years that they have been involved in any serious crime fighting and that is still only a small percentage of what they do. Most of the time they just do nothing.
let it be known: this Chevrah Kadisha (and others too) is not ashamed to demand from poor families in Yerushalayim that losed their dear one 40,000 and 60,000 shekel and more, just because they wish to bury him/her on Har Hazeisim or Har Hamenuchos next to his/her spouse/parent with the excuse that this is a ‘closed’ plot. i am familiar with several stories like this.
lets say that they are allowed to ask for money on certain burial plots, why such exorbitant prices? what exactly do they offer for the niftar, that can justify such extortion?
Chevra Kadisha management in Yerushalayim – your hands are dirty, and not from grave digging!