Mrs. Rina Ariel, the daughter of terror victim Hallel Ariel HY”D, who was recently stabbed to death by a terrorist in the family’s Kiryat Arba home, has asked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to permit holding a memorial on Har Habayis this Tuesday, 6 Tammuz. Mrs. Ariel wishes permission for the memorial, which would be attended by 250 people.
In her letter written to Mr. Netanyahu while on a state visit to Africa, she wrote “Even as you’re busy with diplomatic issues in Africa, I excuse myself based on my daughter’s blood, Hallel, who was murdered in her bed”.
She details their deep connection to Har Habayis, frequently visiting, realizing it is the House of HKBH, the place that gives koach to the Jewish People. “It is only from this place that deficits can be filled and only from there can we receive solace. Hence, we are asking to visit to daven for Hallel’s neshama this Tuesday, accompanied by 250 people who have promised to join me”.
Mrs. Ariel explains it is most important to her that this is coordinated in advance with police to make sure there is no confrontation whatsoever, simply a memorial.
Family representatives have met with Jerusalem Police Chief Yoram Halevy last week, hoping to persuade him to permit them to organize and hold the event. Police suggested a different location on Har Habayis, not at the Mughrabi Gate which is closer to al-Aqsa but the northern Gaza and the family agreed. However, while police seem on board final approval is pending from PM Netanyahu. Following the meeting with the Jerusalem Police Chief, Mrs. Ariel decided to write to the Prime Minister directly.
“I am asking you now to make an exception in light of Hallel’s horrific murder so please permit this event for us. Please do not divide us into groups, but permit all 250 of us to stand together on Har Habayis. I would like to give a short speech there, as would a few others, in what would not take more than an hour”.
Mrs. Ariel stressed that “Recently, 200,000 Muslims performed a mass prayer on the site. Would a Jewish group comprised of a tenth of that number not be permitted to gather for an hour?”
Gedolei Yisrael over the generations and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel prohibit visiting Har Habayis.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
if Gedolei Yisroel as well as the Chief Rabbinate of Israel prohibit visiting Har Habayis, how could the mother of this precious girl, HYD, feel that having a memorial on this prohibited spot would be any sort of aliyah for her neshama?
i feel bad for her . and i am sorry for her loss
but tell her its אסור ממש
To the Yeshivaworld coordinator – pls fix mistake in first paragraph – where it say “the daughter of” instead of “the mother of”
With all due respect to this family, didn’t they internalize Kerias haTorah from this past Monday Thursday & Shabbos morning of Parshas Poroh in Chukas.
This request should be dismissed out of hand (with proper deference to the emotional needs of the family who suffered such a terrible loss). It is not only against halacha (and the attendees would be chayav kores) but it would also create a huge security problem and could trigger rioting which would put the sons and daughters of other Israelis at risk. Just say NO once and for all to these kinds of requests.