Jerusalem, July 13, 2016
Thousands of Chasisdim of Gur visited the gravesite on Har Hazeisim of Harav Simcha Bunim Alter zt”l, known as the Lev Simcha, on his 24th yahrzeit. This was the first time in recent memory that the current Rebbe of Gur, Harav Yaakov Aryeh Alter, permitted Chasidim to visit the grave on the yahrzeit. The Lev Simcha lies in an enclosed cave (“maarah”), which was previously the site of many attempts at vandalism by Arab marauders. He is buried alongside the 5th Rebbe of Gur, Harav Yisrael Alter zt”l, known as the Bais Yisrael. The Rebbe’s change of heart followed a briefing by Avrohom Lubinsky of the International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeisim (ICPHH) indicating that conditions on the 3000-year old cemetery were vastly improved and that there were few if any incidents on the holy cemetery since October 2015. Joshua Wander, the local ICPHH representative, assisted with the security arrangements as did Police Deputy Superintendent Chaim Shmueli who provided police and Border Police reinforcements to secure the cemetery.
Nearly 20,000 chasidim recently came to Har Hazeisim to mark the yahrzeit of the Zvhiller Rebbe. There has also been an appreciable increase of visitors to Har Hazeiesim in general and at the Kever of the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh in particular. Said Mr. Lubinsky, the founding chairman of the ICPHH: “This is a remarkable turnabout of conditions on Har Hazeisim thanks to the 6 year-old effort of the Committee which has now has strong committees all over the world. We are taking back Har Hazeisim albeit that there is much to be done including building a Visitor’s Center and providing matzeivos for 23,000 neshomos whose graves were desecrated during the Jordanian occupation, 1948-1967.”
Har Hazeisim is secured by a police station, 137 surveillance cameras, and a garrison of border police. A new wall will soon be built to add to the security. Leaders of the ICPHH will be meeting with key Ministers during an extraordinary Cabinet session on Har Hazeisim on July 24th.