Breakdown at Rachel’s Tomb Pilgrimage: Worshippers Stranded for Hours, Forced to Walk on Foot

Tens of thousands of worshippers visiting Rachel’s Tomb on Saturday night for the annual Hilula marking the matriarch’s passing encountered heavy congestion, long delays, and severe disorganization in transportation arrangements.

According to worshippers who arrived on Motzei Shabbat, they faced unusual overcrowding and serious disruptions in the shuttle system. Many said they had been waiting for a long time at shuttle stations and at the exit from the tomb, without buses arriving to collect them.

Sources familiar with the preparations for the Hilula said that the number of buses allocated this year did not meet the heavy demand. “There were many more worshippers than expected, and the system failed to handle it,” one source said.
The Transport Ministry, however, said that no shortage of buses had been reported and that responsibility for traffic arrangements rested with the police.

The Transport Ministry said that “under police instructions, there are currently no departures from Teddy [Stadium] to Rachel’s Tomb due to heavy crowding at the site. Likewise, for the return journey, due to congestion, police have not approved bus access to the tomb compound, and worshippers must walk to the buses.”

Police decided not to allow boarding and drop-off near the tomb to prevent crowding and instructed the public to walk to the “yellow gate,” a measure that added to the pressure and confusion at the site.

In a statement, police said that from the evening hours, forces were operating to secure and maintain order at the Hilula of Rachel Imenu. “Police forces and ushers are working to regulate traffic and the entry of the public to the site, and to prevent crowding situations for the sake of public safety. Unfortunately, at a certain stage, some participants who arrived at the site began to disturb the order in an attempt to force their way into the tomb compound, which at that time was crowded and at its permitted maximum capacity. In the course of this, a suspect who tried to attack the officers was arrested by the police,” the statement said.

“As a result, the forces on site are working to restore order and have temporarily and partially closed the entrance of the public to the compound. We call on the public arriving at the Hilula to heed the instructions of the police officers operating to maintain security and order, to show patience, respect the event, and avoid acts of violence and disorder. The lives and safety of the participants stand above all else,” police added.

The Hilula of Rachel Imenu draws tens of thousands each year, but this year’s transportation system collapsed, leaving many pilgrims waiting for hours or walking long distances on foot.