Hundreds of Peleg members participated on Motzei Shabbos in the funeral of Rav Tzvi Shenker, z’tl, the Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Bais Dovid of Bnei Brak, who passed away on Erev Shabbos at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah at the age of 80.
Although the Israeli government has banned gatherings of over 10 people at funerals, police did nothing to stop the crowding at the levaya of Rav Shenker, who was one of the leaders of the Peleg faction.
A police source said that normally thousands of people would have shown up at the funeral, which means that most people refrained from attending the event.
A Bnei Brak resident told Ynet that “there are dozens of cops here not doing anything. … This is total chaos, a real disaster. This whole procession shows a total lack of control.”
הלווית אחד מרבני הפלג הירושלמי בבני ברק. אין מילים pic.twitter.com/55ALSnB4ia
— יאיר שרקי (@yaircherki) March 28, 2020
Other residents said that although the police were present at the levaya, they didn’t detain anyone, issues fines or make other attempts to stop the crowd.
A ZAKA ambulance was used to transport the niftar but the organization stated that that they did not approve of the crowd that gathered at the levaya. “I want to clarify that the mass levaya in Bnei Brak contrary to Health Ministry directives is not affiliated with ZAKA,” ZAKA head Yehudah Meshi Zahav stated.
“We work together with the government authorities as our Gedoli HaDor have instructed us. The coronavirus does not differentiate between sectors; it harms everyone. It is unfortunate that there is a community that does not adhere [to directives] and endangers others. Pikuach nefesh docheh hakol!”
תתעוררו, לפני שיהיה מאוחר מידי😷 pic.twitter.com/pJQcI4sv4z
— זק״א (@zakaHQ) March 27, 2020
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan stated on Sunday morning: “The holding of a mass funeral in Bnei Brak is a very serious event life-endangering event that harms the community! I demand that Israel Police strictly enforce Health Ministry directives in all sectors throughout Israel without any exceptions.”
“I called for an urgent discussion today with the police command regarding enforcement in the Chareidi community. The vast majority of the Chareidi community understands and adheres to the Health Ministry’s guidelines. The police must do whatever is necessary to prevent extreme factions of the community from the endangering the life of the public.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
“Israel Police” not “Bnei Brak Police”
The coronavirus crisis facing Klal Yisroel is something new for all of us. One of the decisions we can make now is whether it brings us closer together as a nation or serves to push us apart. When this terrible period is over, after the levayos are done and normal life returns, the only thing we will have with us for the rest of our lives will be our reaction.
Yeshiva World News has firmly planted itself in one category. I only hope I and the rest of us choose the other.
Why are we still seeing pictures of minyanim taking place outside and levayos with crowded people. Is this not an enormous chill Hashem. What is YWN’s take on all this. It boggles the mind. R Chaim said that davening beTzibbur is korov lemeizid of being classified as a rodeif. This might sound outrageous but a question has arisen. Can one physically harm those gathered in a way which is illegal?
why should police called nazis by some hareidim risk their lives to save hareidim? They have families as well and those who are putting themselves and others in danger will soon understand what their frumkeit causes.
It isn’t about saving those at the levaya, they are “karov l’meizid” so who cares. It’s about stopping THEM to protect US