Funerals, identification of bodies in Mt. Meron disaster to resume after Shabbat

The identification of bodies from the deadly stampede during Lag B’Omer celebrations at Mount Meron is set to resume when Shabbat ends at nightfall.

Funerals are also set to resume again when Shabbat ends.

Before Shabbat began last night, 32 of the 45 bodies were formally identified at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv, and 22 released to relatives for burial. The institute halted the identification process yesterday evening, following a ruling from the chief rabbi that it could not continue on the Sabbath.

Jewish tradition calls for the dead to be buried as soon as possible. Families whose loved ones were positively identified rushed to do so yesterday before the Jewish day of rest began around 6:40-7:00 p.m., depending on sunset times in the different cities.

כ-20 שוטרים נערכים מחוץ למכון לרפואה משפטית באבו כביר לקראת המשך זיהוי גופות ההרוגים מהאסון במירון. בשונה מאתמול, המשטרה לא תחסום את הכביש במקטע הסמוך לרחוב בן צבי@daniel_elazar pic.twitter.com/ahceR4LyFI

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 1, 2021