The annual yahrzeit event for the Baba Sali ZT”L, set to take place next Monday, may be canceled due to exorbitant security costs. According to a report filed by Yisrael Hayom correspondent Yehuda Schlesinger, police are organizers of the event are negotiations but police demands for security will add hundreds of thousands of shekels to the cost of the event.
Baba Baruch is quoted saying if these costs are unavoidable, the event will not be held this year. They blame the new area police commander, who assumed his post three weeks ago, for making demands that were not necessary in the past.
Organizers report security costs last year amounted to NIS 120,000, and this year, it appears the cost will be at least NIS 500,000. Baba Baruch is quoted saying “how can we absorb this?”
Organizers feel the new commander “still carries the trauma of his last assignment with him”, detailing he was the officer in charge of the levaya of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel HaLevi Wosner ZT”L ZY”A, which ended in tragedy when two participants were crushed to death. Organizers have reportedly contacted chareidi officials in Knesset seeking assistance.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Unfortunately, the security costs of ALL events attracting large numbers of attendees have increased by a substantial margin due to the surge in terrorist actions as well as the unwillingness of participants to strictly follow the instructions for travel to and from events and their attendance at the event. This is a reality and we are better off cancelling some of these events that c’v having to suffer the consequences of deaths or serious injuries.