JERUSALEM — A father of two sons who tragically perished in the Meron disaster on Lag B’Omer, says that allowing only one bonfire at this year’s celebration would be a grave mistake.
On Tuesday, Rabbi Meir Nachman Elchadad testified before the State Commission on the Meron Disaster. One of the topics he discussed was the recommendation by the Committee to limit future celebrations to only one bonfire on the entire mountain.
In addition, Rabbi Elchadad said that those who are negligent and culpable for last year’s unspeakable tragedy must be identified.
He added that part of the negligence that led to the tragedy was the decision to have only one bonfire in the Toldos Aharon section. He said that government order prevented the crowd from dispersing into open areas, forcing them to crowd together, which became a death trap.
He also said that the current recommendation by the committee to have only one bonfire in the Boyan section of Meron, is a recipe for another disaster, because it could lead to dangerous overcrowding.
At one point the Chairwoman of the committee, former Chief Justice Miriam Naor, pressed Rabbi Elchadad to stop being critical and simply provide testimony.
Rabbi Elchadad also described the extremely difficult Shabbos that he experienced in Kiryat Motzkin, after he identified his son’s body following the tragedy. He affirmed his strong Emunah, through which he has had the zechus to survive this incredibly difficult period.
Tragically, Rabbi Elchadad lost two sons in the disaster, Yosef David z”l, 18, and Moshe Mordechai z”l, 12.
As reported by Vos Iz Neias