For the first time in almost three years, the IDF allowed Jews to visit the gravesite of Moses' nephews in the Shechem area yesterday.
For many years, Jews of the area observed a custom of commemorating the date of Aaron the Priest's death, the first day of the month of Av, by visiting the traditional gravesites of his sons Elazar and Itamar. The graves are located on Givat (Hill) Pinchas near the aptly-named community of Itamar in the Shomron.
A group of close to 200 Jews from around the country conducted early morning prayers at the site yesterday morning, and many more arrived in the afternoon as well. Their joy was marred upon seeing that Arabic graffiti had been scrawled on the graves and that garbage had been strewn around. The Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, which was located for years at Joseph's Tomb in Shechem, calls on the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the IDF, and the Civil Administration to "wake up to their responsibility to preserve and protect the sanctity and safe freedom of access to these holy sites."
Photos of the visit can be seen hear: photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5.
For many years, Jews of the area observed a custom of commemorating the date of Aaron the Priest's death, the first day of the month of Av, by visiting the traditional gravesites of his sons Elazar and Itamar. The graves are located on Givat (Hill) Pinchas near the aptly-named community of Itamar in the Shomron.
A group of close to 200 Jews from around the country conducted early morning prayers at the site yesterday morning, and many more arrived in the afternoon as well. Their joy was marred upon seeing that Arabic graffiti had been scrawled on the graves and that garbage had been strewn around. The Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, which was located for years at Joseph's Tomb in Shechem, calls on the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the IDF, and the Civil Administration to "wake up to their responsibility to preserve and protect the sanctity and safe freedom of access to these holy sites."
Photos of the visit can be seen hear: photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5.