The scene which unfolded in Jerusalem at the end of the first
day of Pesach was one which its residents have not witnessed
for a very long time. With song and dance, thousands of
chareidim, headed by roshei yeshiva, rabbonim, morei
horo'oh and marbitzei Torah, accompanied R' Shmuel
Kornblit back to his prison cell in the Russian Compound. Reb
Shmuel was released for the first day of yom tov by
court order, as opposed to the puzzling position of the
prosecution.
The release of Rabbi Kornblit on Wednesday, erev yom
tov, went into effect after the family posted a personal
bond of NIS 10,000 and also transferred the NIS 50,000 shekel
bond of Rabbi Avrohom Yosef Lazerson to the court.
The avreich has been imprisoned for five months on the
charge of having participated in the burning of the
missionary apartment in Mea Shearim.
Upon his release from the Ashmurot Prison, 20 minutes after
the slated time, 12 in the afternoon, Reb Shmuel Kornblit's
first request was to visit the gedolei haTorah and to
receive their blessings. The gedolim, who are making
extensive efforts to free him, blessed him profusely, and
encouraged him in his plight.
Reb Shmuel Kornblit spent leil haseder with his
family, including his young children who have barely seen him
for five months. Throughout the holiday, many people from all
sectors of the community visited him in order to protest his
imprisonment without trial and to express their
solidarity.
At 8 p.m. on motzei yom tov, an hour before he was
supposed to return to jail, a huge crowd that had
participated in the rally proceeded through the streets of
Jerusalem, accompanying him back to the Russian Compound.
They expressed their protest of his unjust incarceration by
the singing of, "Utzu eitzo vesufar," and "Tziyon
halo tish'ali."
Rabbi Menachem Porush, Rabbi Meir Porush, Rabbi Avrohom Yosef
Lazerson and many public figures joined the entourage.
The summary stage in Rabbi Shmuel Kornblit's trial and the
issuing of the verdict is to take place on Tuesday, the 27th
of Nisan, at 9:15 a.m., in the courtroom of Justice Ruth Or,
in the Regional Court of Jerusalem.
