The Doors of Meron Are Closing In the Wake of an Insurance Crisis

The Kever of Reb Shimon Bar Yochai will shockingly be closing its door to visitors, the Va’ad HaChamisha, which oversees the Kever, announced.

After the tragic Meron disaster, there is no insurance company willing to secure the site. That means that if one of the thousands of daily visitors at the site is injured, the members of the Va’ad are at risk of being sued. The board members’ inability to obtain insurance leaves them with no option other than to close the site.

The Va’ad has met with Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana on the issue but so far no progress has been made on the matter.

Eli Friend, the director of Kever Rashbi, sent a letter on Sunday to Kahana, informing him of the Committee’s decision.

Friend ended his letter by saying:

“You are aware that Va’adas HaChamisha has and is engaging in multiple efforts to find a solution to the problematic situation that has developed. Likewise, a meeting was held in your office ten days ago, during which you instructed all relevant professionals to find an immediate solution to the insurance issue, but the problem has not yet been solved.”

“In light of the situation, we are hereby informing you that if no solution is found in the form of an indemnity or an insurance policy for the Va’adas HaChamisha, the committee will be forced to announce the closure of Kever Rashbi beginning on Wednesday, Yud Aleph Teves, at midnight.”