Jerusalem Rabbinical Court Rules City Name Is 'Tiberias' With Hei, Warns Against Mixed Beach Near Rabbi Meir's Tomb
The rabbinical court of the Edah HaChareidis, led by Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Ulman, convened to resolve a debate among the Haredi community in Tiberias regarding the correct spelling of the city's name. After thorough discussion, the court ruled that the proper spelling is "Tiberias" with a final hei (ה) rather than an alef (א), basing their decision on the responsa "Minchat Yitzchak." This ruling carries practical halachic implications, particularly for writing religious documents such as gittin (divorce documents) and ketubot (marriage contracts).
The issue gained urgency due to the recent growth of Haredi communities in Tiberias, including the Hasidic groups Toldot Aharon and Satmar, which joined long-established communities like Sanz and Karlin. The court's session followed a delegation of rabbis and community leaders from Tiberias, headed by the emissary of the Toldot Aharon Rebbe, who raised concerns about recent municipal actions near the city's beaches adjacent to the tomb of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, a revered Tannaic sage.
In response, the Edah HaChareidis, under the guidance of leading authority Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, issued a public call condemning the opening of a mixed-gender beach on the road leading to the tomb. They criticized the removal of partitions between certain beach areas from the ancient cemetery to the hot springs, which they say exposes passersby to immodest sights and endangers the spiritual welfare of observant Jews. The court demanded immediate municipal action to rectify the situation and warned that those responsible would bear severe spiritual consequences.
The Edah HaChareidis also instructed the Haredi public to avoid the affected route, especially during daytime and summer months when the improprieties are most visible, and to use alternative paths. Additionally, they explicitly forbade Torah institutions, Talmud Torahs, and girls' schools from holding activities in nearby recreational areas such as "Aqua Kef" and "Dream World," even during gender-segregated hours, to prevent educational harm and religious desecration.
