A month and a half before the merriment in Meron, the work crews continue to work hard.
Zvi Tessler, the projector of the celebration, also arrived yesterday to take a closer look at the progress of the works.
In a special interview, following the publication in "Israel Today", he says: "We do not yet know in low resolution what everything will look like. We will know this before the event. The outline is closed."
Tessler, 58, a retired lieutenant colonel in the reserve, was appointed project manager in January, and since then he has been visiting the arena every week and studying the place's problems - and there are many.
"Understanding what needs to be here takes time," he says.
"Every year we double the previous year. This year we create new things, and until two weeks before the event we will not know exactly if each point is safe enough. I do not know if settings will be removed, because we are constantly working on the mountain. The connection with the Hasidim is intense, with them".
Organizers anticipate that this year the event will be smaller, and also that the public will learn lessons from last year.
The Rebbe of Toldot Aharon announced that he would not come with his followers. Other Hassidim asked their believers not to come with children to the celebration.
Tessler says that this year there will be no food and feeding stalls on the mountain for the masses, but that the food will be distributed in the open areas far from the mountain.
"We want to limit the amount of people on the mountain and the length of stay," he explains.
"In real time, there were 70,000-60,000 people on the mountain in the past, and this year it will be at most a third of that. Throughout the festivities you can reach 200,000. Reduce the amount of attractions and stimuli. You come, pray, recite Psalms, perform the parting ceremony - "And that's it. There will be nothing to stay here beyond that."
The novelty this year is the production company, which was hired to produce the event.
Tessler will end his role after the revelry, but he has been looking forward for years.
"Today the place does not respect Rabbi Shimon, and everyone who comes sees it. There are not enough services, no place for the believing public - which is a shame. I guess over the next few years we will see the place get a proper and dignified design. Too bad it has not been done so far."
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