Maranan verabonon, the gedolei Yisroel will
soon issue a pronouncement calling upon each and every one of
us to take part in the important mitzvah of safeguarding
Jewish graves. They note that whoever cannot play an active
role in this project himself should make an all-out effort to
contribute to the Federation for the Prevention of the
Desecration of Graves. Fundraising drives for this purpose
will soon take place in synagogues and mikvo'os all
over the country.
This declaration is signed by the following rabbonim: HaRav
Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, HaRav Aharon Leib Steinman, HaRav
Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, HaRav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, HaRav
Nissim Karelitz, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, HaRav Shmuel
Auerbach, HaRav Sholom Cohen and HaRav Moshe Tzadka.
During the past year, the Federation managed to bury more
than 600 crates of bones, many from the Bayis Rishon
and Bayis Sheini eras. Unfortunately, however, there
are still thousands of crates of bones in various cellars,
including the recent case in which a Federation inspector
discovered hundreds of crates of bones stored for research in
a cellar in the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of
Dentistry.
Most of the guarding against desecration takes place in
construction and development areas, especially in the Modi'in
and the Ramat Beit Shemesh areas. The most complicated issue
on the agenda is that of the Tunnel Road on Har Hatzofim,
where there are graves along its periphery. A vigorous battle
for their preservation is currently taking place.
It has become clear that archaeologists refrain from
excavations when there is vigilant supervision. As a result,
a network of inspectors who will patrol the development areas
daily has been organized. However, archaeological excavations
also take place in other areas, some of them isolated, and
information about them can only be obtained through
intelligence networks.
Today, the Federation has three inspectors: two hired and a
third volunteer. Although an additional inspector is needed,
the Federation lacks the funds needed to a hire such a
person. Therefore, the public is asked to respond to the call
of maranan verabonon to come to the aid of the eminent
enterprise which is vital to all of us.
