In preparation of the upcoming holiday of Lag Ba’Omer, during which hundreds of thousands of Jews from all over Israel and the diaspora congregate in Meron to visit the Kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a new company known as Kanfei Rashbi (the Wings of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) is advertising helicopter flights to and from the gravesite.

The flights, which leave from a variety of locations including, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa as well as other large cities, will take between 55-60 minutes to arrive at the lading pad in Meron. Following the  landing, passengers will be able to be taken via a VIP shuttle directly to the gravesite. Single direction or round trip tickets can be purchased and there are early-bird discounts being offered.

The organization is offering transportation from the landing pad to the graves of other great sages buried in the Galilee as well. The new form of travel is being offered to help worshippers avoid the long traffic jams and congestion on the roadways in the days before, after and during the celebration of the holiday and the surrounding weekend.

Kanfei Rashbi isn’t the only ones getting a jump on this year’s preparations, traffic preparations, as well as emergency medical preparations, have already begun in Meron and surrounding the gravesite. Israel Police and United Hatzalah began laying the foundations for their emergency infrastructure in and around the gravesite immediately after Pesach.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)