MERON, ISRAEL — Thousands of people are expected to gather in Meron on Saturday night for a large bonfire event led by Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Joel, New York, as part of his two-week visit to Israel.
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Thousands of participants have already arrived in Meron ahead of Shabbat, with many more expected throughout Friday and Saturday night. The bonfire will take place Saturday night following the conclusion of Shabbat at the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, one of the most frequented pilgrimage sites in the country.
The gathering is anticipated to be one of the largest ultra-Orthodox assemblies in Israel this year, drawing Satmar followers from across the country and abroad, including sizable groups traveling from the United States.
The Meron event is the centerpiece of Rabbi Teitelbaum’s visit, which has included meetings with leading rabbinic figures and community events in multiple cities.
Authorities expect major crowds through Saturday night as attendees continue to arrive for the bonfire.
Thousands of Satmar Chasidim worldwide are scrambling to arrive in the Holy Land to be with Satmar Grand Rebbe Aron this weekend in #Meron #Galilee Airports from South America's Buenos Aires to Vienna, from London to Melbourne, and from Miami to New York’s three regional airports… pic.twitter.com/tdsMpGUUhH
— Satmar Headquarters (@HQSatmar) November 19, 2025
מפה של הר מירון שייכבש בשבוע הבא על ידי חסידי סאטמר שם ישהו בשבת עם האדמו"ר. לרגל בואם של החסידים שלא יודעים עברית חילקו את מירון לרחובות כמו רחובות ישמח משה, דברי יואל, ברך משה, לב אהרן ועוד pic.twitter.com/CA0OmzaTHU
— משה ויסברג (@moshe_nayes) November 13, 2025
i will sit this one out
THE DARKEI EMORI FIRE DANCE
The תוספתא (Shabbos 7:1) enumerates practices
that are אסור to do because they are considered דרכי אמורי.
One of them is clapping or dancing in front of a fire.
Dancing in front of a fire would be an איסור דאורייתא
of ובחקתיהם לא תלכו.
Some might claim that dancing in front of a fire in Miron
is an accepted מנהג בישראל, and they will argue that it can’t
be wrong when you have thousands of Yidden & Rebbes
dancing around the fire.
The same argument was probably also used when there
were thousands of Yidden worshipping the עגל הזהב.
Perhaps, those planning to dance in front of the fire
should consult their מורה הוראה if this איסור דאורייתא is no
longer applicable today, and why not?
See שו”ת שבט הלוי ח”ז קל”ו
Momzeri to light the fire…
i hope no Zionists flags are in sight. this is the army that protects yidden