Tens of thousands arrived in Tiberias on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Ba'al Haness - Rabbi Meir Master Miracles. The gravesite compound is overflowing with pilgrims, and a shuttle service is working to bring them from the parking lots at the nearby Guy and Zemah beaches.
Ahead of the pilgrimage, Tiberias Mayor Yossi Naba'a told Arutz Sheva-Israel National News that it is a long-standing tradition that must be upheld, and noted that the compound has undergone a significant upgrade: "The place used to be less accessible and less maintained, and today, the site is well-maintained, pleasant, and welcoming." He added that Rabbi Meir's gravesite is a central pilgrimage site for the greatest of the Jewish people.
The CEO of the Rabbi Meir Ba'al Haness Gravesite Foundation, Rabbi David Ohana, discussed the major changes made to the site in recent years and the future plans.
All are invited to send names for prayers at Rabbi Meir Ba'al Haness's Gravesite
According to Rabbi Ohana, over the past five years, the gravesite compound underwent a true revolution, with an investment of over 30 million shekels. Among other things, the historic centuries-old structure was renovated, new plazas, candlelighting rooms, and halls for public use were built, and safety and accessibility infrastructure was enhanced.
"Now the gravesite is accessible, inviting, clean, and well-maintained; a place to which people want to return," Ohana noted and stressed the combination of maintaining the site's ancient character and adapting it to modern standards.
The site's chief engineer, Eli Cohen, explains that "the site is a building from the 1950's just 50-60 meters from the Syrian-African Faultline, which is exposed to earthquakes. The building was reinforced with 80X80 beams, which is extremely rare. Likewise, all the systems were reinforced at a cost of millions." He stresses: "We had to do that since the building wouldn't have survived."
All are invited to send names for prayers at Rabbi Meir Ba'al Haness's Gravesite
To balance the old and the new while maintaining the site's special authenticity, Cohen says that "the Jerusalemite architect who planned all this, combined the special motifs, Tiberian basalt stone, the white stone trims around the window, a motif that appears in both the Turkish and [British] Mandate-period architecture. With every window in the entire complex, we maintained this character; this stone also encompasses the ancient building of the tomb itself."
"We added a large dining room and a kitchen to serve the public. Where today there is an open and beautiful plaza, there used to be kiosks and storage rooms," he adds. All of these were moved to a more remote location for the benefit of visitors and pilgrims.
All are invited to send names for prayers at Rabbi Meir Ba'al Haness's Gravesite