Photos by Shmulik Sofer for COLlive.com
The holiday of Lag B’Omer is fast approaching, and organizers at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in Meron are in the midst of last-minute preparations for the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected.
Meron is the second most popular religious site in Israel, after the Kotel Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Arutz Sheva was told that this year, a temporary bridge will be built to allow crowds to watch the traditional lighting of torches. The aim is to alleviate crowding near the tomb itself to the greatest extent possible.
Israel’s Tourism Ministry’s says it has invested NIS 13 million at the Rashbi tomb, including NIS 2 million that was recently invested in safety projects, among them the pathway, which cost NIS 1 million, as well as two extra stages, a VIP stage, emergency routes and a woman’s balcony.
Chabad will again keep a high profile presence offering participants to attend chassidic farbrengens with known mashpiim. Videos of the Rebbe will be shown on large screens and seforim will be sold at a discounted price.
I am an Ethiopian Born Again Christian…and I never knew before that my name has anything to do with such a beautiful site in Israel which as a matter of fact compels me to fully acknowledge and love my name from now on. Hope I will be there one day…yes I am a soldier!!!
Moshiach NOW!
meiron is amazing!!!! wish i cud be there!!!! hope to be there with moshiach. really beautiful to watch live!