New York…Meeting with a leadership group of the International
Committee on Har Hazeisim (ICHH), Rabbi Meir Porush strongly reaffirmed his
Ministry’s commitment to secure the 3000 year-old cemetery. Rabbi Porush, who is
Israel’s Minister of Jerusalem and Heritage Affairs, also voiced his strong support for
the construction of the Visitor Education Center and police station on Har Hazeisim.
“I was delighted to hear that you are partnering with the Israeli Government and the
Municipality of Yerushalayim in building this historic Center on Har Hazeisim.” The
Minister said.
The reception for Rabbi Porush was held in the home of Shimon Lefkowitz, one of
the leaders of the ICHH. Also at the meeting were the brothers Menachem and
Avrohom Lubinsky, founding co-chairmen of the ICHH and key Board members Dov
Fishoff, Peretz Levin and David Urbach. The ICHH leaders briefed the Minister on the
significant progress that has been made in securing Har Hazeisim. “After years of
neglect and constant destruction of graves, there has been a significant reduction in
vandalism and destruction of gravesites, said Avrohom Lubinsky. “There is still much
to be done in terms of sanitation and security in order to promote visits in large
numbers to the holy mountain,” said Menachem Lubinsky.
In response, Rabbi Porush detailed his strong involvement in securing the tens of
thousands of people who visit Har Hazeisim on the yahrzeits of some of the famous
rabbonim and chasidic rabbis who are buried there. The planned Visitor Education
Center will include a shul, computer center, maps of the cemetery detailing the
burial sites of some of the 150,000 Jews buried there, historical documents and a
fully functioning security center manned by the Israel Police.
Earlier Rabbi Porush met leaders of Agudath Israel of America at the home of the
chairman of its Board of Trustees, Sol Werdiger. Also attending were Rabbi Yosef
Frankel, Vyelipoler Rav and member of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, and Rabbi
David Zwiebel, Executive Vice President of the organization.
The ICHH was established in 2010 by the brothers Menachem and Abe Lubinsky of
New York who organized the committee following a devastating report by the Israeli
Comptroller, the late Micha Lindenstrauss on the neglect and abuse of Har Hazeisim.
The committee subsequently arranged for the installation of a network of 176
surveillance cameras, an underground monitoring station, a police substation,
increased Border Patrol units, gating, sanitation services and upgrades of the
infrastructure. The improved security has resulted in a sharp decrease of vandalism
and a dramatic increase of visitors from less than 200 a day to as many as 2000 with
tens of thousands visiting on the yahrzeits of important sages buried there.
