Era: Tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai was taken over by state

Finance Minister Yair Lapid, signed today (Wednesday), a decree expropriating the grave site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai from the endowments , and after years of legal disputes concerning ownership and castigating site management.

Who will manage now the place is a government body established in 2011.

The minister signed the order after receiving the recommendation of the Advisory Committee to the Minister of Finance subject expropriations, to confiscate the compound to improve its conditions and manage it properly to a sacred place.

After much discussion the committee finds it necessary that the appropriate way to manage the site in favor of enumerators it is through expropriation and its management by a government company established for that purpose by the government. The board of directors shall be members of, among others, representatives who reflect the public plaguing the area.

Rashbi tomb which is located in Moshav Meron in the Upper Galilee is the most important pilgrimage destination in the country and visited by more than a million and a half people a year.

On Lag B'Omer, a half a million visitors arrive.

So far the site is managed by the High Court ruling, by a committee with five members: a representative of the State Committee Chairman (now Mr. Alex Vizhnitzer), two representatives of the Ashkenazi endowment and two representatives of the Sephardic.

In December 2008, the State Comptroller published opinion on "State of the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron on Lag B'Omer and preparations."

The Comptroller's Office noted in a review, inter alia, that the compound is not prepared as required to absorb hundreds of thousands of people who visit it in mass events. It is also stated in the opinion, that the building is neglected and various factors make it as their own. Summarizing Auditor's Office noted that it was abandoning a great importance on both the national and the religious standpoint.

During February 2010 - 2011 State Comptroller's Office examined alternately, to what extent corrected deficiencies were described in the opinion. The comptroller found that many deficiencies to be corrected and must be repaired.

Finance Minister Yair Lapid emphasized that the government does not intend to change the character of the place, or harm the holiest place and will continue to be in accord with the rabbi in charge of the law while improving the conditions and needs of the public who visit it.

Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Tourism shall provide for where budgets to suit the largest number of visitors following it, particularly on Lag B'omer.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!