After hearing a detailed report on the progress on Har Hazeisim from his grandson, Rav Aryeh Kanievsky, Maran Rav Chaim Kanievsky blessed the work of the International Committee for Har Hazeisim as a “sur marah”(ending the rock throwing and violence) and “aseh tov” (allowing tens of thousands of worshipers to visit the graves of loved ones and of Gedolei Yisroel). This coincided with a visit to the esteemed Torah sage by Avrohom Lubinsky, chairman of the ICHH.
The visit took place right before Sukkos when Mr. Lubinsky was in Israel for a short mission to assure the continued security of the hallowed cemetery and to plan new projects now on the drawing board. The sage was briefed by his grandson about the extensive activities of the ICHH to secure Har Hazeisim. Rav Chaim Kanievsky welcomed the important efforts on Har Hazeisim and encouraged the Chairman to continue to preserve the holiest cemetery for Jews in the world.
Since the establishment of the committee in 2010, headed by the brothers Avraham and Menachem Lubinsky, the Committee managed to have the government install 173 surveillance cameras, a new police station, regular sanitation services, gating throughout, and the restoration of 20,000 graves that were destroyed during the Jordanian occupation.
One of the achievements of the ICHH was the establishment of a special Knesset caucus for Har Hazeisim, the largest such caucus in the history of the Knesset. It includes 70 members of Knesset from all factions and is led by MK Rabbi Yoav Ben-Zur (Shas). In addition, a large visitors education center will be built as a joint initiative by the ICHH, the Municipality of Jerusalem and the Israeli government.
