As YWN reported last week, the Gerrer chassidus, the largest chassidus in Israel, will no longer be using bleachers during weddings and tischim in the wake of the Karlin tragedy.
This week, one of the Gerrer Rebbe’s grandchildren is getting married and arrangements had to be made to host the large crowd expected at the wedding without the use of bleachers. It was decided that the guests will attend the wedding in shifts, with the yeshivah bochurim participating in the first part of the wedding, outside the main Gerrer Beis Medrash on Rechov Yirmiyahu in Jerusalem.
The older guests will attend the second half of the wedding in the older section of the Gerrer Beis Medrash. A new large Beis Medrash is almost completed but it will not be used since it has not been officially approved for use yet.
The Belzer chassidus is also holding a grand wedding this week for the Rebbe’s grandson, which was to take place at the large Belz shul, with its built-in bleachers which have passed all safety approvals. However, it was decided to move the wedding to a larger venue for the thousands of chassidim that are expected to attend to provide an extra measure of safety. The wedding will be held at the Arena sports stadium in southern Jerusalem.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
These Chassidim are very smart. The use of bleachers could possibly cause an
עין הרע
Also bleachers once in a while can be dangerous.
Mazel tov on the precautions but really does the wedding have to have such a crowd? What does the individual sitting or standing far and away from the action gain. Better off learning in the bais medrash
this is over caution, stupidity or virtue signaling. The mishap in Givat Zev happened because someone wanted or accepted “fast and cheap” There was a well constructed section of steps onto which was added a higher rank of steps. In the wreckage There were 3cmx3cm welded step forms that were linked together with the laterals with zip ties, two by fours and undersized steel. The step forms are recognizable as the work of one of the heimishe weld shops that produce shtenders and benches.
The PR department of the Chasidus went public in saying that the bleachers were code compliant and inspected. This is only half the story and the composite of photo data and posturing indicates a rat protecting some interest or other. The spectacle of the almana r”l begging parnossoh in public forums is a really bad optic for this organiztion
The stadium is also bleachers, and engineering and money does not always guarantee safety, there was a fatal collapse in temporary grandstand at a governmental event. Poor follow up and bad actors are almost everywhere There is no substitute for due diligence and redundant due diligence