Today (Tuesday), Jordan refused to allow about 150 ultra-Orthodox Jews into its territory through the Rabin terminal - the southernmost border crossing between Israel and Jordan, located about three kilometers north of Eilat. The ultra-Orthodox were on their way to the site of Jebel Aharon (Mount the Prophet Aharon) where, according to tradition, he is buried Bo Aharon HaCohen The airport authority claims that the ultra-Orthodox went on a rampage and demanded food be brought in - contrary to the Jordanian ban, while the ultra-Orthodox claim on the other hand that they were required to cut their wigs in order to enter and were subjected to humiliating searches.
In a statement from the Airports Authority, it was stated that "a group of ultra-Orthodox Israelis was refused entry to Jordan due to a riot at the Jordanian terminal due to the refusal of the Jordanians to allow the entry of foodstuffs. Despite the warning of the terminal staff, they decided to take the food with them. Rabin Terminal is prepared to receive them and to close later if necessary."
Yitzhak Rabin crossing the border between Israel and Jordan (archive),
Haim Goldberg, a reporter and photographer for the "Shabbat Square" website, said that the Jordanians demanded that they cut their wigs and only then enter.
"I am with the ultra-Orthodox group who are stuck at the Jordanian border, and what is happening here is a hallucination," he said, "We arrived in time for the crossing, but as soon as the Jordanians realized that we were Jews, the problems started. The Jordanians try to ask people to cut their wigs. Everyone here goes through humiliating searches while those who do not look Jewish pass through Without any problem. The only riot at the Jordanian border that the spokesman for the Airports Authority wrote about in the press release he distributed - is a riot by the Jordanians who use force against anyone who takes pictures or who they think wanted to take pictures."
"Enter as a proud Jew"
Every year several hundred ultra-Orthodox go to Jordan on Rosh Chodesh Av (which falls on Shabbat this year) in order to participate in a relatively modest revelry in memory of Aaron, the older brother of Moses, who served as the first high priest.
According to a long-standing tradition, his burial place is Jebel Harun, in southwest Jordan, near the city and the ancient site of Petra.
This identification was made already in antiquity and is preserved to this day.
It should be noted that this is not the first time that the Jordanians prevent those with religious symbols from entering the country.
However, many times ultra-Orthodox try to be clever and enter with tefillin in the hope that the Jordanians will turn a blind eye.
In a video uploaded by Rabbi Yaakov Herzog, who defines himself as a rabbi of Saudi Arabia, he addressed the issue and said that it is possible to arrive with tefillin and tallit despite the prohibition.
"This week is Aharon HaCohen's yurtzeit, and they probably want to go to Jordan to visit his grave," he said.
"You know that many times the Jordanians make problems at the border with tefillin, siddurim and other holy things. I was at the border this week, they tried to do the same to me. I insisted, sat with them for hours, and proved that they don't have such a law.
"The most important thing I felt - all the Jews in all generations who gave their lives for their Judaism are looking from heaven what I'm going to do, am I going to fold or go in like a proud Jew. I have to enter a situation where I give up my soul, I insist, not looking for solutions or solutions. It's a matter In principle. Continue to the border and if you don't let them, turn back and turn around. Let them not take your money, and we will preserve Jewish pride."
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