חוק להסדרת אירוע הילולת רבי שמעון בר יוחאי בהר מירון (הוראת שעה), התשפ"ד–2024Law for Regulation of the Celebration Event of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai at Mount Meron (temporary provision), 2024 · automatic translation · suggest a correction

Official summary of the law (Knesset)

The Hillula event of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron on Lag BaOmer is a mass event that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Following the severe disaster that occurred in 2021, a state commission of inquiry was established and submitted its recommendations for improving safety at the site. In light of the special security situation prevailing in the north of the country during the "Swords of Iron" war, and in accordance with the assessments of security officials, a need arose to regulate the holding of the Hillula in a limited format in order to prevent loss of life. Now, as part of the Law for the Regulation of the Hillula Event of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron (Temporary Provision), 2024, a temporary legislative framework was anchored significantly limiting the Hillula events in the year 2024. The law provides that only three lighting ceremonies will be held, at different times, including a main lighting ceremony at the compound of the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and two additional events at the compound of the Bnei Akiva yeshiva. Holding the events was conditioned on obtaining a permit from the Minister of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, as well as approval from the Israel Police, the National Fire and Rescue Authority, and a licensed engineer to ensure the safety of the event. In addition, a strict restriction was imposed on entry to and presence in the entire Meron compound, such that staying there requires holding a special entry or stay permit, or a resident's certificate attesting to permanent residence there. To prevent overcrowding, the number of people present at the tomb compound and the Bnei Akiva compound at any given moment was limited to up to 30 holders of a special stay permit, alongside five authorized journalists. For the operation of the compound, several groups were exempted from the permit requirement, including security, emergency and rescue forces, Nature and Parks Authority inspectors, public transportation drivers, and entities providing urgent medical assistance. In addition, the commander of the Home Front Command (Head of Civil Defense) was authorized to determine by order the areas to be closed entirely. In order to ensure enforcement of the restrictions, renting accommodation units in the Meron compound to anyone not part of the production crew was prohibited, arrival at the compound by public transportation was restricted, and fines and removal powers for the police were established with respect to anyone staying in the compound or organizing events without a permit. The law also includes a temporary exemption from planning and building laws for the establishment of temporary infrastructure required for the event, and provides that it shall expire on 2 June 2024, by which date the area must be restored to its previous condition.

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What was said in the plenum

The bill regulates the holding of the Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai hillula at Mount Meron, including limiting the number of attendees, restricted bonfires, safety and enforcement powers, as a temporary provision in accordance with the conclusions of the commission of inquiry into the Meron disaster and the security situation. The first reading discussion mostly drifted to other topics (the security situation, the war, the hostages, government-opposition relations), while in the second and third readings the main dispute concerned the reduced format of the event due to the security threat and its budgetary cost.

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An automatic summary of the plenum transcripts: the debate on the bill at every reading it was voted on. Arguments are given as the speakers made them; this is not an assessment. The list of speakers comes from the transcript, without a model. Transcripts of the sittings: 1, 2 · write to the author

Reservations to the second reading

No reservations were filed to this bill.

Asked to speak: Merav Michaeli (Labor), Naama Lazimi (Labor), Gilad Kariv (Labor), Efrat Rayten Marom (Labor), Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid), Karine Elharrar (Yesh Atid), Meirav Cohen (Yesh Atid), Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid), Mickey Levy (Yesh Atid), Merav Ben Ari (Yesh Atid), Ram Ben Barak (Yesh Atid), Yoav Segalovitz (Yesh Atid), Boaz Toporovsky (Yesh Atid), Michal Shir Segman (Yesh Atid), Idan Roll (Yesh Atid), Yorai Lahav Hertzanu (Yesh Atid), Vladimir Beliak (Yesh Atid), Ron Katz (Yesh Atid), Matti Sarfatti Harcavi (Yesh Atid), Tatiana Mazarsky (Yesh Atid), Yasmin Fridman (Yesh Atid), Debbie Biton (Yesh Atid), Moshe Turpaz (Yesh Atid), Simon Davidson (Yesh Atid), Naor Shiri (Yesh Atid), Shelly Tal Meron (Yesh Atid), Yaron Levi (Yesh Atid), Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu), Oded Forer (Yisrael Beytenu), Evgeny Sova (Yisrael Beytenu), Sharon Nir (Yisrael Beytenu), Yulia Malinovsky (Yisrael Beytenu), Hamad Amar (Yisrael Beytenu)

Committee version for the second and third reading (PDF) · write to the author