Jooish

Tens of thousands of mispallelim expected to visit Kever Rochel for the yahrtzeit of Rochel Imeinu this week will encounter major changes in transportation and access arrangements, with organizers introducing a new system modeled after the annual Lag Ba’omer gathering in Meron. Under the revised plan, buses will no longer bring passengers directly to the entrance of the kever, and visitors will instead be required to walk approximately ten minutes in each direction.

The new arrangements will take effect beginning Wednesday night and continuing through Thursday, 11 Cheshvan, when large crowds traditionally travel to Kever Rochel to daven on the yahrtzeit. Organizers hope the changes will eliminate the severe traffic congestion and lengthy delays that have repeatedly disrupted transportation during previous years.

According to sources, this year’s preparations have also involved a change in the company responsible for managing the event. For the first time, the production contract was awarded through a competitive bidding process following a directive from legal advisers at Israel’s Ministry of Religious Services.

In previous years, the annual gathering was organized by Azrieli Productions. This year, however, the contract was awarded to Kapayim Productions, which will oversee the logistical arrangements and coordination of the large-scale event.

The company’s producer visited the site during the past week to familiarize himself with the layout of the complex and assess the particular requirements of the chareidi public, which makes up a substantial portion of those who visit the kever during the yahrtzeit.

The preparations are taking place under significant financial constraints. According to the report, the entire budget allocated for this year’s event is just 900,000 shekels, considerably less than the amounts provided in previous years.

Organizers have also been required to cover expenses unrelated to the usual arrangements for the yahrtzeit, including the relocation of protective shelters that were installed at the complex during the war with Iran.

Until recently, the shelters were positioned near the entrance to the kever. To accommodate the anticipated crowds and free up space in the immediate vicinity of the entrance, they have now been transferred to the upper parking lot.

The relocation alone cost approximately 50,000 shekels, consuming more than five percent of the total event budget and leaving organizers with fewer resources for other aspects of the operation.

The most significant change for visitors, however, involves the route between the buses and the kever itself.

In previous years, buses carrying mispallelim were permitted to proceed through the security corridor leading from Checkpoint 300 to the entrance of the complex. Passengers were dropped off close to the kever, allowing them to reach the site with relatively little walking.

That arrangement frequently created serious transportation problems. The narrow entrance road and nearby traffic circle became congested as buses continuously entered and exited, resulting in substantial delays and lengthy waiting periods for those attempting to arrive or depart.

Under the new system, buses will stop before the yellow security gate rather than continuing through the corridor toward the kever. Passengers will disembark at that point and proceed on foot to the complex.

The walk is expected to take approximately ten minutes each way, and the same arrangement will apply to visitors returning to their buses after davening.

Organizers believe that keeping buses away from the narrow entrance will allow traffic to move more efficiently and prevent the bottlenecks that have plagued previous gatherings.

An official involved in managing the event compared the new arrangements directly to the transportation system used for the massive annual gathering at the kever of Rav Shimon bar Yochai in Meron.

“Just as in Meron, where buses drop off the public at the bottom of the mountain and there is a walk of approximately 20 minutes to the kever, we have adopted the same idea here,” the official told Emess. “It is far preferable to the collapse of the transportation system that occurred every year.”

Special accommodations will be available for elderly visitors and individuals with disabilities who cannot comfortably make the walk. Organizers will operate small electric vehicles, including golf carts, to transport those requiring assistance between the drop-off area and the kever.

Additional details published by the National Center for the Development of Holy Sites confirm that private vehicles and buses will not be permitted to enter the Kever Rochel complex during the yahrtzeit. Pedestrians will be allowed to travel along the designated route from the Rosemary Junction area to the kever, subject to security instructions.

Dedicated bus service will operate from the western parking lot of Teddy Stadium in Yerushalayim, near Gates 8 and 9. Routes 662 and 663 will transport passengers directly to the designated drop-off area near the yellow gate.

The special service is scheduled to operate Wednesday, October 21, from 3 p.m. until 6 a.m. Thursday, and again Thursday, October 22, from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. Passengers will be charged the regular urban public transportation fare and are being advised to load their Rav-Kav cards in advance, as reloading facilities will not be available at the site.

Regular bus routes 163 and 238 will not operate during the yahrtzeit arrangements, and several nearby bus stops will be temporarily closed. Officials have also warned that waiting times and congestion remain possible despite the new transportation plan.

The revised arrangements represent the first year that the Meron-style system will be implemented at Kever Rochel. Following the yahrtzeit, organizers intend to review the operation, evaluate the effectiveness of the changes and determine whether further adjustments will be necessary for future years.

{Matzav.com}