The Egyptian government has given permission to 200 worshipers to visit the gravesite of the head of the Abuhatzeira dynasty, Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira. Tonight, the 20th of Tevet, is his 126th yahrtzeit (anniversary of death). The revered rabbi's grandson was the renowned Baba Sali, Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira, who died in 1984.
The visiting group will be led by the Kabbalist Rabbi Rafael Abuhatzeira of Ashdod, and will include visiting rabbis from Lakewood, New Jersey, and others.
Egypt had denied similar requests since 2002 to pray at the gravesite, which is located in Damanhour, near Alexandria in northern Egypt. Many international elements intervened in the efforts to obtain Egyptian approval for the visit.
On another of Israel's borders, the eastern crossing into Jordan, the usually tranquil entry point became the center of a small storm this morning. A group of observant Jews were denied entry into Jordan because tefillin were found in their possession. MK Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party) demands that Foreign Minister Tzippy Livny call the Jordanians to order and prevent such discrimination.
"The Jordanians' behavior is reminiscent of dark chapters in the history of the Jewish People," Orlev said.
The Temple Mount Movement released this response:
"The Jordanians learned this anti-Semitic behavior from the humiliating and discriminatory behavior towards Jews, and especially religious Jews, on the Temple Mount. Religious Jews are harassed by police and are not allowed to bring any Jewish items to the Mount, and are frequently not permitted to visit Judaism's holiest site at all."