"Va'amartem Ko Lechai" • 100 thousand people celebrating at Rashbi; thousands stuck in giant traffic jams

Am Yisrael celebrates Lag Ba'omer: Hundreds of thousands attended fires and Hillulah centers throughout the country.

Tens of thousands attended the central kindling, which began on Motzaei Shabbos at 23:20, at the Rashbi's tomb in Meron, when towards midnight the Rebbe of Boyan lit the flame, and thus gave the signal to thousands of revelers for singing and dancing. During the night, the number of people in Meiron rose to a hundred thousand.

After the kindling of the main bonfire, the Rebbe lit another fire for R' Elazar, the son of R' Shimon.

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The orchestra began in the yard at 21:30, after the kindling by the Rebbe of Meiron, Harav Hatzadik R' Naftali Friedman, who lit in a small bin in the yard of the tomb.

More than a thousand officers of the Northern district and traffic department prepared for for hillula, in a large security operation, which will last until Sunday night after midnight. For the benefit of the celebrators, an information call center was set up whose number is 1700-500-679. The center began operating in the early morning hours of Friday morning.

The Meiron settlement was closed from Thursday morning for the entry of vehicles, and entrance was only allowed to residents of Meron. The entry of vehicles to the gravesite and the Moshav was forbidden.

But all this organization collapsed in real time - and tens of thousands were stuck in traffic on the way to Meiron and back, with thousands making their way on foot (see separate item).

Shabbos in Meron
According to estimates more than ten thousand people stayed in Meron over Shabbos.

Those coming to the Mount had to worry about just one thing - 'a place to stay', for food and drink were plentiful and free.

Guests centers opened this Shabbos and served food and personal packages for all. With sunset, minyanim of tefilla began operating in all areas.

After the Shabbos meals, thousands flocked to the Boyan Tish at the compound of Bnei Akiva, which lasted until the wee hours of the night. The Shalosh Seudos Tish also lasted for hours.

The Karlin Stolin Rebbe and the Rebbe of Zvil also held Tishes at the Bnei Akiva compound. HaRav HaTzaddik Rabbi Elimelech Biderman of Lelov held a Tisch at the Yad Ezra compound - which ended in the early morning with excited dancing.

This year it was also possible to see many foreigners, who were absent for some reason in recent years.

"On Shabbos you can feel the unity in the air," says Chuna Deutsch a resident of Meron. "In the minyan I have been organizing over the last quarter of a century in the courtyard of the tomb, members of all the sectors take part, "as one man with one heart" all unite together and pray, all walks of life come to the minyan."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!