The Herzliya Chevra Kadisha adhered to the advice of the High Court, withdrawing a petition in which the Chevra Kadisha was seeking a land allocation in the city’s new cemetery. According to officials in Herzliya City Hall, the decision was a “breakthrough, ending the 70-year monopoly of the Chevra Kadisha over kvura in the city”, adding that unfortunately, it only impacts the city, not nationwide. The court made it clear that the chevra was not going to emerge successful, signaling to cancel the petition.

Chevra Kadisha officials argued that there are virtually no plots left in the current old cemetery, demanding a land allocation in the new cemetery adjacent to Kibbutz Glil Yam. Opposing such a move were City Hall and the Israel Lands Administration, both maintaining there was no reason to make such an allocation to the religious burial society. Mayor Yael German told the court the chevra has been yelling about “no available plots” for nine years, but the truth is the main interest remains financial. The mayor added that in the past, efforts to appoint two city officials to the chevra board towards finding a solution were rejected.

The mayor stated it is time for the public to regain control of burial, to remove it from the private hands of the Chevra Kadisha, stating City Hall probed the matter and the head of the city’s chevra earns a salary of NIS 750,000 annually, almost twice the salary of the city’s director-general. The mayor reported that the investigation showed a NIS 12.5 million surplus in 2007.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)