חוק להסדרת אירוע הילולת רבי שמעון בר יוחאי בהר מירון (הוראת שעה), התשפ"ו–2026Law for the Regulation of the Hilula Event of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron (temporary provision), 2026 · automatic translation · suggest a correction

Official summary of the law (Knesset)

The Law establishes arrangements for the organization and conduct of the Hillula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai event at Mount Meron, which will be held as a temporary provision in 2026. The time of the Hillula is set from 4 May 2026 at 06:00 until 6 May 2026 at 08:00. In this framework, it is established that only one central lighting event will be held at the compound of the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, which will include two lighting facilities. Additional events may be held at recognized compounds or outside them, subject to the approval of the responsible Minister and safety approvals from the Police, the National Fire and Rescue Authority, and sanitation authorities. The Minister was authorized to exempt certain accessibility adaptations in cases where the adaptations would substantially harm safety or prevent engineering approval, and only after examining alternatives for accessibility adaptation. Works for land preparation and the establishment of temporary infrastructure and structures at the compound were excluded from the application of the Planning and Building Law, subject to safety and stability approvals from engineers, and on condition that the land be restored to its original condition by 24 May 2026. A restriction was established on entry and presence at the Meron compound during the time of the Hillula, such that any entry and presence will require holding an official permit that will include the ID number of the person present, the exact compound they are permitted to enter, and the duration of its validity. The maximum number of people present in each compound will be set by order by the Minister. Most entry and presence permits will be given to the general public on a "first come, first served" basis, through the purchase of dedicated travel tickets for public transportation, with arrival at the Meron compound permitted only via this transportation, except for exceptions defined in the Law. The Minister was authorized to allocate up to 20 percent of the permits not through these travel tickets, for communities with a unique, long-standing connection to the Hillula, relatives of victims of the Meron disaster in 2021, as well as persons with a disability tag who will be able to arrive by their vehicle together with up to two companions. Exempted from the general entry prohibition are personnel required to arrive at the site for their work or to fulfill their duties, and anyone required to assist a person in distress, a person with a disability, or a minor. Meron residents are exempt from the general entry prohibition, but require a dedicated permit to enter the tomb compound, while residents of localities adjacent to Meron will require a specific permit to enter the Meron compound. The authority to distribute permits to area residents may be delegated by the Minister to the head of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council. In the event of an attack or a special home front situation, the Head of Civil Defense was authorized to establish provisions regarding the closure of areas within the compound or to determine that the event will not be held at all. In such a case, the regular permits will be canceled and a framework of special presence permits will be implemented for the purpose of participation in events, holding prayer services, and for journalists and representatives of the victims' families. The framework will be implemented while maintaining equal representation for the various communities and appropriate representation for women, and its main points will be submitted to the National Security Committee 8 days before the Hillula. It is established that a person convicted of a felony, a sex offense, or a domestic violence offense, or against whom an indictment has been filed prior to a final verdict, is barred from fulfilling a central role in the Hillula, unless ten years have passed since the date of conviction or since completion of serving the prison sentence. The person in charge of the Hillula will be responsible for informing the public, managing traffic arrangements and counting the crowd, and will report to the Police on deviations from the maximum number of people present. Police officers were granted authority to order the cessation of lightings, prevention of entry, and removal of people and vehicles from the compounds, including through the use of reasonable force. The penalty for presence in the compound in violation of the restrictions without a valid permit, or for organizing a lighting event or an additional event without approval, is a fine.

automatic translation · suggest a correction