On Monday, 10 Cheshvan at 12:00pm, Egged will launch Operation Kever Rachel, the daily HaMevaser reports. Thousands of mispallalim will be transported to the Kever during the 32-hour operation, which ends on Tuesday evening at 20:30, the eve of 12 Cheshvan.

From Jerusalem and City Center

There will be two departure points; (1) Malchei Yisrael Street opposite Rozin Yeshiva and (2) Binyanei Ha’uma at the number 15 bus stop (in the direction of Har Nof). All buses traveling to the Kever will display the number 163.

From Malchei Yisrael, the bus will turn right to HaTurim, right to Jaffe Street, and continue to the Binyanei Ha’uma stop. From there, the bus travels on the Begin Highway to Kever Rachel.

Egged stresses these are the only stops and the driver will not stop to permit anyone to get on or off the bus elsewhere. On the return trip, the bus will pass Binyanei Ha’uma and the final stop will be Malchei Yisrael Street.

The buses will begin on 10 Cheshvan at noon and run until midnight. On Tuesday, the day of the yahrzeit, service will resume at 7:00am and continue until 7:00pm. Returning from the Kever will end at 8:30pm.

The price per passenger is NIS 8.80 NIS roundtrip for all ages – young and old alike. The Rav Kav smart card will not be in play for this special bus route. Passengers will be able to purchase the tickets before getting onto a bus.

From Elsewhere

Persons arriving at the Rozmerin parking lot in Gilo, a shuttle service will be available from the lot to the Kever and back. This service will operate on Monday from 2:00pm until Tuesday at 8:30pm. The price per passenger on the shuttle is 5.30 NIS roundtrip for all ages. Once again, the new Rav Kav will not be accepted for this special route. Tickets should be purchased before getting onto a shuttle bus.

Direct Service from Other Jerusalem Neighborhoods

Egged will also offer direct service to and from the Kever from a number of neighborhoods in the capital. This includes Ramot, Ramot Shlomo, N’vei Yaakov, Har Nof and Bayit Vegan. There will be one central pick up and drop off stop in each of the neighborhoods mentioned, beginning on Monday night, eve of 11 Cheshvan, at 5:00pm. Return trips to northern neighborhoods at 7:20pm and to southern neighborhoods at 7:00pm. The price per person roundtrip (all ages) is 8.80 NIS and once again, no Rav Kav.

Egged: Don’t Come During High Volume Hours

Egged officials advise trying to make the trip during the off hours. Egged has already announced it will not hold passengers prisoner. That is to say that if a bus arrives during the peak hours and police instruct drivers to wait, the bus doors will be opened to permit passengers to get out and they will not be compelled to wait on the bus as police wish.

Egged predicts the peak hours are as follows:

Monday, 10 Cheshvan: 9:00pm – 2:00am

Tuesday, 11 Cheshvan: during mincha and maariv times.

The tzibur is urged to try to come on Tuesday morning and early afternoon to avoid the crunch.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)