Jerusalem’s "Old Yishuv" Seizes Control of Rashbi's Tomb Complex Ahead of Lag BaOmer
Hours before Lag BaOmer, members of Jerusalem’s Edah HaChareidit have taken independent control of the Meron tomb complex. Operating without state funding or police, they have established a private security and hospitality network to defy official event cancellations.
While the rest of Israel watches with bated breath as police roadblocks and strict security warnings seal off Mount Meron, a "parallel reality" has taken hold inside the courtyard of the Rashbi’s tomb. In a defiant return to tradition, members of Jerusalem’s ultra-conservative "Old Yishuv" and the Edah HaChareidit have effectively seized management of the site, establishing an independent infrastructure hours before the big night begins.
A Sovereign Security Force of Avreichim
The most striking scene on the mountain this afternoon was an improvised "steward briefing." Dozens of young men and Torah scholars from Jerusalem, clad in traditional striped robes, have formed an autonomous security apparatus.
Grassroots Hospitality: No Budget, No Problem
Despite the lack of official state funding, the complex is buzzing with activity. Private donors have stepped in to replace government-sponsored logistics:
Business as Usual Amid Security Alerts
The atmosphere inside the courtyard stands in stark contrast to the tension beyond the barricades. While the IDF and Police warn of significant aerial threats and the illegality of the gathering, the worshippers inside seem entirely unbothered.
As nightfall approaches, the mountain remains a tinderbox, not just between Israel and Hezbollah, but between a determined religious community and a state trying to enforce a security blockade on one of its most sacred landmarks.