Tomb of Jewish Talmudic Sage Ransacked In Arab Village
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The tomb of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel is located in the Israeli Arab village of Kafr Kana, near the Golani Junction.
In recent weeks the iron bars at the entrance to the structure – which sits atop the cave the prominent rabbi is buried in – were bent and broken. The entire tomb was also set on fire.
The fire damaged the site, blackening the stones and obscuring explanatory plaques explaining its significance. The stone steps leading down to the grave have been smashed and one of the walls has been torn apart as well. The site is also apparently being used as a dumping ground for garbage from the local village.
Israel National News correspondent Michael Freund contacted the Tourism Ministry, which is responsibly for maintaining the site, and was told that the vandalism occurred during the Passover holiday and that workers would be sent to the site Sunday to clean it up. The ministry official told Freund that the tomb is attacked regularly by local Arab – as often as twice a month.
