Those who continue working to keep Kever Rochel a thriving place, running the kollel and working to bring visitors, are complaining that they do not understand why the holy site is closed to Jews at times, too often, to accommodate visits from non-Jews to the site. Such was the case on Rosh Chodesh Teves, during Chanukah, HaMevaser reports.

This was the case this past erev Shabbos between 6:30am-9:00am, when the site was closed intermittently to Jews as well as several times later in the day, all to accommodate a Christian religious official.

Officials add that making things worse is the fact they do not receive advanced warning, and when mispallalim arrived they are compelled to wait or simply turn around and return from hence they came, learning the site is closed.

The report questions what purpose could a Christian patriarch have to visit the Jewish site, seemingly pondering if there is another motive to the move — the closing of the site to Jews to accommodate the Christian patriarch with a private visit.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)