Israel’s only crematorium was supposed to be kept a secret. That was not the case for long. It was located In Chibat Tzion, and mysteriously burned to the ground at the end of August – after ZAKA publicized its location in a Charedi newspaper. Just three weeks ago, the crematorium vowed to reopen, and its location would remain secret – as we reported HERE on YW. Not for long. Yeshivaworld has learned that ZAKA has once again located the location of the new “Aley Shalechet” crematorium – and is reported to be in Eretz Yisroel’s Sharon region (Moshav Choglah, near Chadera). ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi Zahav stated that ZAKA will continue on its campaign to chase them out of the country. He added that the Arab citizens of Israel have joined this campaign as well. Nine months ago, Meshi Zahav filed a complaint with Israel Police claiming that they carried out activities that are in violation of Israeli law and operated without a necessary permit from the Health Ministry. It is interesting to note that upon hearing that the crematorium would reopen three weeks ago, Meshi Zahav had stated that he hoped the new crematorium would “fulfill its purpose, and burn down…….like the previous one.” Time will tell its fate…..

According to the Jerusalem Post, the owners of Israel’s only crematorium, whose premises near Chadera were burned down by arsonists in late August – as reported HERE on YW, expect to complete the construction of a new site this week and resume operation. The new location will remain a secret. At the time his business was attacked, Aley Shalechet CEO Alon Nativ said he was very satisfied with his cremation business and quoted a 2002 survey that found 10% of Jewish Israelis would be interested in cremation if they had the choice. ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, who reportedly played a key role in discovering and publicizing the location of the first site said that he hoped the new crematorium would “fulfill its purpose, and burn down…….like the previous one.” The ZAKA head said that the crematorium violated Israel law, and further alleged that the owners had set fire to their own facility to profit from insurance. The owner called Meshi-Zahav’s claims “ridiculous” and “not worthy of a response.”

According to Israeli media sources, a fire broke out on Wednesday evening at Israel’s first crematorium. The crematorium was opened just a few months ago (as was reported HERE on YW), and is located in the community of Chibat Tzion. It’s location had remained a secret – until yesterday; when a Frum newspaper printed its location. Firefighters arriving on the scene reported heavy flames – which were extinguished – and no injuries were reported. According to Ynet, there were signs of forced entry, and it is believed that the fire was not accidental. Haaretz is reporting that the building sustained major damage. Six months ago, ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi Zahav, filed a complaint with Israel Police claiming that they carried out activities that are in violation of Israeli law and operated without a necessary permit from the Health Ministry. After hearing of the fire, Meshi Zahav, who visited the crematorium on Tuesday, told Ynet that he “blesses the person who (set the crematorium on fire)”, adding that ZAKA has been fighting against the cremation of Jewish people’s bodies all over the world and that it was “inconceivable that this custom exists in Israel”. Meshi Zahav also told Haaretz “We saw the desecration there. The structure is located between two chicken coops. There were sheets soaked in blood and the ashes thrown in the garbage bin. The place was destined to burn, and it was burned.”

Following is a translation of the address delivered before the German Bundestag by President Shimon Peres on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27, 2010. The address was delivered in Hebrew. I stand here before you, as the President of the State of Israel, the home of the Jewish people. While my heart is breaking at the memory of the atrocious past – my eyes envision a common future for a world that is young, a world free of all hatred. A world in which the words “war” and “anti-Semitism” will be dead words. Distinguished gathering, In the Jewish tradition that accompanies us for thousands of years, there exists a prayer in Aramaic recited when mourning the dead, in memory of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. The mothers, whose infants were torn from their arms, and the fathers, who watched in horror as their children were pushed into the gas chambers and their children go up in the smoke of the crematoriums, did not have the time to recite nor to listen to this ancient prayer. On this occasion, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to recite this prayer, here and now, in the name of the Jewish people, in memory of, and in honor of, the six million Jews who turned to ashes: (Recites Kaddish) And the prayer ends with the words which became a symbol in the State of Israel, a dream in the Jewish world: “He, who makes peace in His Heights, may He, in his compassion, make peace upon us, and upon all Israel. And they responded: Amen.” My friends, the leaders of the German people and its representatives, In the State of Israel, and across the world, survivors of the Holocaust are gradually departing from the world of the living. Their numbers are daily diminishing. And at the same time, men and women, who took part in the most odious activity on earth – that of genocide – still live on German and European soil, and in other parts of the world. My request of you is: Please do everything to bring them to justice. This is not revenge in our eyes. This is an educational lesson. This is an hour of grace for the young generation, wherever they may be. That they may remember, and never forget, that they should know what took place, and that they never, absolutely never, have the slightest doubt in their minds that there is another option, other than peace, reconciliation and love. Today, the International Remembrance Day for the victims of the Holocaust is the day on which the sun shone for the first time 65 years ago, after six evil years, its rays revealing the full extent of the destruction of my people. On that same day, the smoke still rose above the bombed incinerators, and the blood-stains and ashes still heavily lay on the soil of the extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. The train-station platform was silent. And the “selection ramp” was empty of people. On the monstrous field of slaughter settled a deceptive atmosphere of tranquility. The ear caught only the quiet, yet from the depth of the frozen ground emanated a scream that broke human hearts, and ascended to the passive and silent heavens. On January 27th, 1945, the world awoke to the fact, somewhat too late,