Yossi Deitch, the government-appointed coordinator of the Lag BaOmer hilula at Meron, has announced that he is stepping down from his role following new restrictions ordered by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that significantly scale back this year’s celebration.

In an interview with Bechadrei Chareidim, Deitch explained that he cannot oversee an event under such limitations, saying, “I don’t know how to manage a closed and sad Meron. I know how to manage a joyful and open Meron. When people leave their homes with simcha, come to celebrate by Rabi Shimon, and return home with simcha — I don’t know how to run a partial event.”

He added that the logistical and operational limitations make the event unmanageable from his perspective: “When you don’t have Compound 89, you don’t have hadlakos, you have restrictions — I don’t know how to do this. You can’t decide who is allowed up and who isn’t. I cannot limit it to 1,500 people.”

Asked to explain his decision to resign, Deitch said the entire planning process had been based on expectations of a fully open event. “We worked the entire time with the police on an open Meron, and I said this in every meeting: I will not be part of a closed Meron. Last Sunday there was a meeting with the police commissioner — Home Front Command said there were no restrictions. Plans were approved, everything was in place, there were no limitations for the weekend — and suddenly everything flipped.”

When asked who would take over management of the event, Deitch said he does not know, suggesting that authorities may be operating with information not shared with the public. “I don’t know who will manage it. Maybe they know things we don’t know. But the public doesn’t understand — just like they didn’t understand on Pesach why the Kosel was closed, and now they don’t understand why Meron will be closed. I’m not in a position to explain or justify to the public why they shouldn’t come. I have no way to explain it. Maybe they know things we don’t know?”

He also questioned the consistency of the restrictions, pointing to recent large gatherings. “Look, just this past Shabbos there were 10,000 people in Meron, and suddenly on Lag BaOmer you limit it to 1,000? People will walk tens of kilometers to get to Meron at any cost.”

Deitch compared the situation to events elsewhere in the country, noting, “In Haifa, missiles fell no less than in the Meron area, and this past Shabbos there was a game there with 25,000 people. It could be that Meron is dangerous, but I cannot run a closed event — I don’t know how to handle it. Rav Porush also told this to the Prime Minister.”

Referring to previous years, he recalled that even under more severe conditions, attempts to limit access had failed. “Take, for example, the year 5784, when the situation was worse — they thought that if they closed Meron, no one would come, and we failed. The situation was more dangerous then — missiles fell in 89, they fell in Burma, there was greater danger in all the forests around Meron — and despite everything, people went with mesirus nefesh through all the forests. Of course, I’m not saying to do that — we must follow instructions.”

Looking ahead, Deitch struck a reflective tone. “I’m in a time of personal soul-searching — why during times of simcha do they shut things down for us? Why does this happen to us? Both on Pesach and in Meron, our celebrations were stopped. I’m not in a place of fighting or shutting down simchos. May it be the will that the zechus of Rashbi protect us.”

{Matzav.com}