(VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

The following video proves a rare look behind the scene of Israel’s ‘genizah’ (shaimos) operation, which includes the burial of Sifrei Torah, Mezuzos and Tefilin, in earns and sealed with cement on top to prevent their deterioration, which represents non-respectful treatment of the items which have kedusha.

Chaim Zeiger, 30, from Ashdod, is one of the people working behind the scenes, collecting and separating items according to category. He explains little of what is collected is buried, as explained above. STaM items are referred o by Zeiger as “Genizah Chamura” and all else is a lower category.

As seen, not everyone understands the purpose of the genizah boxes and at times, other items are found inside including the pillow seen in the video. There are approximately 11,000 large public genizah boxes in Israel.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)