"The Silent Woman Prayed at the Grave for a Week and Left Speaking"

In the heart of the Druze village of al-Sajur lies the grave of Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest. If you visit, you won't have trouble finding it since every local can point you to the well-maintained path next to an olive grove.

Neria Getz has been responsible for the grave for the past 18 years. He lives in Moshav Hazor, which is a 15 km drive away, and visits the grave daily, spending most of his day there.

"I come here regularly," he shares. "There's not a day I don't visit the site. Even during the Second Lebanon War, I came. I wasn't afraid, even during the alarms. I knew the grave of a righteous person is a protected place. Indeed, rockets fell all over, but not a single one fell in Sajur."

Interestingly, Getz mentions that the name Sajur likely comes from the ancient city of 'Shazur', which apparently existed in the area during the Mishnah period, where Rabbi Shimon Shazuri lived.

Small Grave, Big Story

Getz shares that when he took over about 18 years ago on behalf of the National Center for the Development of Holy Places, the grave structure was very small. "A small structure with a big story," he says, recounting: "In the Sajur area, there lived a man who suffered a terrible tragedy – every time his children were born, they died as infants. He would frequently visit Rabbi Ishmael's grave, crying and praying, until one night Rabbi Ishmael appeared to him in a dream and said: 'If you build me a structure, your children will live.' He quickly did so, and that same year he had a son who lived a long life. He later had several other children, and they all visit the grave to this day, sharing their touching story. The father passed away a few years ago at the age of 105."

This isn’t the only touching story Getz encountered. "A few years ago," he recounts, "a mute woman came with her grown sons, who said their mother wanted to pray at the grave for a week without leaving. They stayed outside the grave at night for her safety. After a week of prayers, she emerged speaking like anyone else. She later said that Elijah the Prophet came and touched her neck, enabling her to speak."

Neria Getz

According to him, since those days, the grave has undergone further development when former Interior Minister Aryeh Deri initiated the construction of the large and modern structure seen today.

"Soon, renovations will begin here led by the National Center for Holy Places, costing seven million shekels," he reveals.

Special Days at the Grave

The grave is not in a Jewish area. Doesn't that make it difficult to maintain?

"Sajur is a Druze village, and the Druze people greatly respect the tzaddik and recognize his holiness," Getz explains. "Sometimes, they come to clean and organize the place themselves. One local even named his son 'Ishmael' after the tzaddik; the council also helps us a lot with whatever we need."

Getz notes that in recent years there is a high awareness of Rabbi Ishmael's grave, and more and more people come to pray there. "Mainly, people come at the beginning and the end of the Jewish month, and of course on the tzaddik's yahrzeit - the 25th of Sivan, when hundreds of people gather, organize a large meal, and pray throughout the day."

"Also on the eve of Yom Kippur, which is a day when the story of Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest is told as one of the Ten Martyrs, many come to pray. One year, a group of young men from Jerusalem spent the entire Yom Kippur there. All of them were single at the time, and within a year, they were all engaged and even married."

And what's your role at the grave?

"I am responsible for order and cleanliness, and also for warmly welcoming people. There's a lot of movement here, and many questions and curious visitors. To everyone who comes, I recommend: 'Read the prayer of Rabbi Ishmael every day, and you will be saved,' and indeed there are miraculous stories about people who prayed this prayer."

"In times when nobody visits, I pray, read Psalms, and study a bit. It's not always easy to be here. For example, recently it was very cold, but I feel it's such a great privilege. I can't give it up."

And he has a personal story too: "Several weeks ago, I had a stroke and was in very serious condition. When I was hospitalized, Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, who, by the way, prays at the grave every Friday, visited me and promised that thanks to my connection with the tzaddik, everything would end with good health. Indeed, I was released, thank Hashem, within days, feeling like a new person. That very day, I came to pray at the grave and give thanks for the miracles."