Rabbonim are expressing growing concern over ongoing construction at the Nesher project along the Jerusalem – Tel Aviv Highway in the Ramle area, construction that is compromising the kevarim of Tannaim and Amoraim according to the weekly HaShavua report. The digging in that area has been taking place for a decade, including the area of the ancient cemetery, the oldest beis hachaim in Eretz Yisrael as has been confirmed by archeological exerts from Israel as well as others of international stature.
The digging takes place daily, reportedly under the watchful eye of chareidi inspectors, but this is not so, and as a result, kevarim of Tannaim and Amoraim are being compromised.
If one travels on Highway 1 (Jerusalem – Tel Aviv Highway) one can see that near the Nesher Cement Company, there is black tarp around the excavation area, the area where the kevarim are being compromised, kevarim from Bayis Rishon and Sheni – ancient burial caves simply being discarded in the interest of progress.
Unlike some of the other excavation areas in Israel there are no chareidi protests at the Nesher site and while gedolei hador hearing about what is taking place called for a public outcry, that outcry is yet to be heard. The report adds that some gedolei hador equate some of the difficult events Am Yisrael has endured of late with disturbing these very kevarim.
The project, the excavation that is, began in 2000, a project aimed at accommodating the cement company. The Ramle plant is the company’s largest of three in Israel and it is reported to be among the largest cement companies in the world. The factory in Ramle never stops working, not on shabbos or even Yom Kippur.
As the digging progressed an ancient village dating back to Bayis Rishon was discovered, and of course there was a beis chaim but the work continues in total disregard for the kevarim. Yehoshua Dorfman, the director of the Israel Antiquities Authority is quoted as confirming the beis hachaim is indeed an ancient Jewish one.
Rabbonim have expressed shock that the work continues and graves are opened and disturbed without any supervision. The Eida Chareidis Beis Din is expected to convene to address the matter in the coming days. Pashkavilim have already appeared condemning the ongoing project.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
how do they know that these are Jewish bones belonging to Tanaim and Amoriam? Amoriam were almost all in Babel.
The people who make such statements are not connected to reality. They make assertions with no proof and ignore real issues like the gay parades.
The reality is that you cannot dig anywhere in EY without finding some evidence of prior development and possible sites of kevorim. The public works authorities work closely with the antiquities authority and rabbonim to minimize the liklihood of distrubing such sites but in some cases, such as where an existing highway must be widened or an existing hospital’s emergency room improved to withstand rocket attacks, there is no alternative. The need to protect the lives of those who live in EY today must always take priority over vague and unsubtantiated concerns of possible kevorim.
This topic is a political hot potato, the latest in the power play between Asra Kadisha, who are being paid to oversee the site, and the Vaad Lmnias Chillul Hakvarim, who would like to be paid instead. Please do not feature articles like these. They do not showcase our better side.
#2 who said they are unsubstantiated? you from across the ocean. These are very much substantiated if you read the article. Plus if there is a sofeik it is also ossur to uproot them