Ariel and Shaked at Rachel's Tomb compound
Ariel and Shaked at Rachel's Tomb compoundAdmon Hacohen, Minister's Spokesperson

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel of the Jewish Home party visited the "Bnei Rachel" Yeshiva in Rachel's Tomb, amidst the backdrop of the complex legal reality of the compound.

Despite the purchase of land in the area by Jewish philanthropists, Israeli bureaucracy does not allow yeshiva to develop and expand. It should be noted that according to the Oslo Accords, the area is defined as “Area C -” on the one hand, not belonging to the Jerusalem Municipality and, on the other, unaffiliated with the Gush Etzion Regional Council.

Due to this difficult reality, the Ministers came to visit and pray at Rachel's Tomb. The head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Eliyahu Elkesalasi, showed Shaked and Ariel around the compound of the Yeshiva and the residential complex.

Rabbi Alexelsi said that dozens of students attend the Yeshiva, "and there is a tremendous desire to develop, but on the other hand, the legal reality does not allow the Yeshiva to expand."

At a meeting held by Ariel and Shaked together with the yeshiva heads, the Ministers understood the gravity of the situation and promised that they would act as soon as possible to bring about change.

"The area of ​​Rachel's Tomb is a no-man's-land today, and we must find a legal solution to the area and allow proper care of the place for its residents and yeshiva students," Shaked said.

Minister Ariel noted that "former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin understood the importance of Rachel's Tomb to the Jewish people, and therefore acted to leave the compound under Israeli control. And today we have the duty - as ministers in the government - to ensure that the compound is organized legally and that Torah study expands and grows. Our goal is that, instead of 25 yeshiva students, there will be 250 students in the near future.”