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29 Teves 5761 - January 24, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Attempts to Prevent Desecration of Haifa Graves
by Aryeh Zisman

An attempt to desecrate burial caves in Haifa was recently prevented by representatives of the City Council's Religious Bloc protesting "rescue" operations by the Antiquities Authority. As of last week, work had been halted. Nonetheless, it is still feared that clandestine excavations might continue. MK Rabbi Gafni visited the site on 21 Teves in order to study the situation and prevent any desecration of graves.

Yefeh Nof, a company affiliated to the Haifa Municipality, is working on the Cross-Yaffo project within the framework of the Yaffo bypass highway at the entrance to Haifa. This is in the area of the grave of Rav Avrimi of Haifa. In ancient seforim, the area is Called, "the cemetery of the slopes of Mount Carmel." Some of our Rishonim are buried there, including the Rash of Shantz, the Ramban, and other Baalei Tosafos.

Last week, while the groundwork was being prepared, three burial graves were discovered under the rims of the highway. Yefeh Nof halted work upon the advice of Haifa Mayor Amram Mitzna, and summoned the Antiquities Authority to conduct "rescue" excavations at the site of these graves. The graves were covered in order to conceal them.

When local activists learned of this subterfuge, Rabbi Chaim Williger, Rabbi Aryeh Blitental and Rabbi Avraham Weitzman, City Council Religious Bloc representatives, arrived on the scene. Together with Deputy Mayor Moshe Shtesman, they met with Mitzna in order to prevent these "rescue" excavations which always result in desecration of graves. Doron Balasha, director of Yefeh Nof, was also present.

Representatives at first saw no signs of any burial caves. However, when a member of the Chevra Kadisha was called in, he located the caves immediately, even though they had been covered and concealed by company workers.

At a meeting of the Haifa city council, Mitzna had promised that if burial caves were discovered or similar problems arose, he would take no measures without halachic consultation. That answer had come in the wake of a question presented by UTJ representative Rabbi Chaim Williger. The religious representatives are now asking Mitzna to abide by his promises and not sanction continuation of the excavations until halachic authorities can be consulted.

Rabbi Gafni arrived on the site, where chareidi representatives described the situation to him. He contacted the new Antiquities Authority director, Yehoshua Dorfman, who said that he favors a solution amenable to both sides that does not involve desecration of the graves.

The Haifa Municipality told Yated Ne'eman that Mitzna recognizes and respects the importance of the halachic as well as the sentimental aspects of the burial sites. As a result, he has directed the parties involved to be particularly cautious and to operate according to law.

A meeting with the City Council religious representatives took place on Teves 22. During the days preceding the meeting, Federation for the Desecration of Graves activists guarded the caves in around-the-clock shifts in order to prevent desecration.

 

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