As its cemeteries grow increasingly overcrowded, the holy city of Jerusalem is reviving the ancient tradition of interring people in subterranean tombs. The results of the first phase of a massive construction project, allowing 23,000 more people to be buried, will be revealed to the public in October 2019.
The road leading to Jerusalem from the Israeli Coastal Plain is steep and winding, marked by picturesque mountains, lush verdant forests and small villages dotting the landscape. Nearing the western outskirts of the city are large limestone walls jutting dramatically out of the ground, and row after row of graves appear along the slopes adjacent to the main highway, a jarring memento of an ever-growing problem the city is facing.
More than 150,000 people are interred at Har HaMenuchot, Jerusalem’s main cemetery, which is also one of the first sights to greet visitors as they enter the city. Owing to its history and religious significance, Jerusalem is one of the most coveted pieces of burial real estate on the planet. Some 4,400 people are buried here each year. Cremation, which is forbidden within the Jewish faith, is uncommon in Israel.
The Har HaMenuchot cemetery is quickly running out of space, a pressing issue for which the Rolzur tunnelling company believes it has found a solution. The company is presently engaged in a huge underground construction project that will see 23,000 styrofoam crypts built directly underneath the graveyard. The results of the first phase of this ambitious initiative are to be revealed to the public on 30 October 2019, when a third of the crypts will be unveiled in an official ceremony after nearly three years of ongoing work.
A history of subterranean burial
The Israelites first constructed subterranean crypts in Jerusalem as early as the 9th century BC. Several examples, dating back millennia and featuring elaborate rock-cut facades and inscriptions, remain visible in the Kidron Valley near the Old City. However, the practice of burying the departed in family caves or underground sites fell out of fashion at some point during the Middle Ages and was replaced by the communal cemeteries we see today.
Under Israeli law, every citizen is entitled to a free burial plot in the city of their residence, paid for by the National Insurance Institute. Tombstones, transportation and ceremonies come at an additional cost and often carry price tags reaching thousands of shekels. Nowadays, because of a lack of space, many of the deceased are buried in above-ground multistorey buildings. Others opt to pay astronomical sums of money for the privilege of being laid to rest in a more pastoral setting.
“It’s not only Jerusalem’s residents who are buried in the city, but also Jews from all over the world whose dream it is to be interred here,” says Adi Alphandary, head of business development at Rolzur, who explained that Glazer researched how ancient underground burial caves were constructed in order to see how they could be modernised.
“We’ve adapted third-century cemetery planning to today and constructed everything using Rolzur’s advanced technologies,” Alphandary says. “It’s very difficult work; we’ve already extended the project by something like 10 years.”
Alphandary explains that the Jerusalem catacombs project will have taken roughly a decade to complete, mainly because it’s particularly labour-intensive to dig into a mountain. The concrete-lined tunnels, punctuated with burial niches punched into the bedrock with a bore, reach a depth of about 50 metres (164 feet) below the existing Har HaMenuchot cemetery and extend hundreds of metres deep within the hillside. Dozens of workers were hired to carry out the work.
“[We’re] taking out quantities of rock and in their stead building spaces for tombs,” Alphandary says. “For the tombs we’ve developed a specialised machine that drills in a specific format and shape.”
The final catacombs will be spacious, well lit and ventilated, and have an elevator that will descend 16 floors from the mountain top to the lowest tunnel level. The tunnels themselves will total 1.3 kilometres (nearly a mile) in length, and those wishing to visit relatives will be able to do so on foot or by riding in electric carts. A small museum examining the history of Jewish burial practices will also be built on-site.
Preserving the land for future generations
Despite the grand scale of the project and its wider social purpose, it was not funded by the state or any government bodies; rather, Jerusalem’s most prominent chevra kadisha, or burial society, decided to launch the initiative in a bid to avoid taking over more land.
Hananya Shachor is the general manager of the Jerusalem Burial Society, which is behind the drive.
“Everyone understands that to cover up a plot of land with graves is not very nice,” Shachor says. “When someone entering Jerusalem sees a large cemetery in front of them, it doesn’t make the city feel very welcoming. But if the cemetery is hidden underground and we can instead use the land above ground for our children, this is obviously an improvement.”
Shachor claims that one other benefit of the catacombs is that they will require less maintenance and upkeep in the long run because it is a self-enclosed system.
“During the Second Temple Period, this was how the Jews buried their dead in the land of Israel, though it fell out of fashion because it was a very expensive method,” Shachor says. “Back then, there were no tractors and people had to dig burial caves with a hammer and chisel. Nowadays it’s cheaper to build [this way] because of machines.”
If the catacombs prove successful, Shachor hopes to continue expanding the caves and adding more and more burial niches. Ultimately, other cities, especially those with mountains nearby, could follow suit and construct their very own underground ‘cities of the dead’, thereby conserving precious green spaces and the world above ground for future generations.
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Makaburi ya watu wengi yanazidi kuongezeka, na jiji takatifu la Yerusalemu linaanza tena kuanzisha mapambo ya kale ya kuzikia watu katika makaburi ya chini ya ardhi. Matokeo ya awamu ya kwanza ya mradi huo mkubwa wa ujenzi, ambao unaruhusu watu 23,000 zaidi kuzikwa, yatatolewa kwa umma Oktoba 2019. Barabara inayoelekea Yerusalemu kutoka Bonde la Pwani la Israeli ni yenye mwinuko na yenye kupinda-pinda, yenye milima yenye kuvutia, misitu yenye majani mengi na vijiji vidogo vilivyoenea kotekote. Karibu na pwani ya magharibi ya mji huo kuna kuta kubwa za mawe ya chokaa zinazotoka chini, na safu baada ya safu ya makaburi yanaonekana kwenye mteremko wa barabara kuu, kumbukumbu ya shida inayokua kwa kasi ambayo jiji linakabili. Zaidi ya watu 150,000 wamezikwa katika Har HaMenuchot, makaburi makuu ya Yerusalemu, ambayo pia ni moja ya maeneo ya kwanza kukaribisha wageni wanapoingia mjini. Kwa sababu ya historia yake na umuhimu wake wa kidini, Yerusalemu ni mojawapo ya maeneo ya makaburi yanayopendwa sana duniani. Kila mwaka watu 4,400 huzikwa hapa. Kuteketezwa kwa maiti, ambayo imekatazwa katika imani ya Kiyahudi, si jambo la kawaida katika Israeli. Makaburi ya Har HaMenuchot yanaanza kukosa nafasi, jambo ambalo kampuni ya kuchimba handaki ya Rolzor inaamini imepata suluhisho. Kampuni hiyo sasa inashiriki katika mradi mkubwa wa ujenzi wa chini ya ardhi ambao utaona makaburi 23,000 ya Styrofoam yalijengwa moja kwa moja chini ya makaburi. Matokeo ya awamu ya kwanza ya mpango huu wa mradi huo yatatangazwa kwa umma Oktoba 30, 2019, wakati theluthi moja ya crypt itafunuliwa katika sherehe rasmi baada ya karibu miaka mitatu ya kazi inayoendelea. Katika karne ya 9 KK, Waisraeli walianza kujenga makaburi ya chini ya ardhi huko Yerusalemu. Mifano kadhaa, iliyochorwa miaka elfu kadhaa iliyopita na yenye nyuso na maandishi yaliyochongwa kwa ustadi katika mwamba, bado inaonekana katika Bonde la Kidroni karibu na Jiji la Kale. Hata hivyo, zoea la kuzikia wafu katika mapango ya familia au maeneo ya chini ya ardhi lilitoweka wakati fulani katika Enzi za Kati na kubadilishwa na makaburi ya kikomunisti tunayoyaona leo. Kulingana na sheria ya Israeli, kila raia ana haki ya kupata mahali pa kuzikia bila malipo katika mji wa makazi yake, kulipwa na Taasisi ya Bima ya Kitaifa. Mawe ya kaburi, usafiri na sherehe huja kwa gharama ya ziada na mara nyingi huwa na bei ya maelfu ya shekeli. Siku hizi, kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa nafasi, wafu wengi huzikwa katika majengo ya ghorofa nyingi yaliyo juu ya ardhi. Wengine huamua kulipa kiasi kikubwa cha pesa kwa ajili ya pendeleo la kuzikwa katika mazingira ya kitamaduni. "Si wakazi wa Yerusalemu tu waliozikwa katika mji huo, lakini pia Wayahudi kutoka duniani kote ambao ndoto yao ni kuzikwa hapa, ""alisema Adi Alphandary, mkuu wa maendeleo ya biashara katika Rolzor, ambaye alielezea kwamba Glazer alichunguza jinsi mapango ya zamani ya mazishi ya chini ya ardhi yalivyojengwa ili kuona jinsi wangeweza kusasishwa." "Tumebadilisha mipango ya makaburi ya karne ya tatu kwa leo na kujenga kila kitu kwa kutumia teknolojia za hali ya juu za Rolzur", Alphandary anasema. "Alfandari anaeleza kuwa mradi wa Jerusalem Catacombs utachukua karibu miaka kumi kukamilika, hasa kwa sababu ni kazi kubwa sana kuchimba ndani ya mlima.""" Vituo vya mawe vilivyofunikwa kwa saruji, vilivyofunikwa na niches za mazishi zilizofungwa kwenye mwamba, hufikia kina cha mita 50 chini ya makaburi ya Har HaMenuchot na huenea kwa mamia ya mita ndani ya mlima. Wafanyakazi kadhaa waliajiriwa kufanya kazi hiyo. "Tunatoa kiasi kikubwa cha miamba na badala yake kujenga maeneo ya makaburi", Alphandary anasema. "Kwa makaburi tumeunda mashine maalum ambayo huchimba katika muundo na umbo maalum. ""Kaburi la mwisho litakuwa na nafasi, taa nzuri na hewa, na kuwa na lifti ambayo itashuka ghorofa 16 kutoka juu ya mlima hadi kiwango cha chini cha handaki. """ Mfereji huo utakuwa na urefu wa kilomita 1.3 na wale wanaotaka kuwatembelea watu wao wa ukoo wanaweza kufanya hivyo kwa kutembea au kwa kutumia magari ya umeme. Jumba dogo la makumbusho linalochunguza historia ya mazoea ya mazishi ya Wayahudi pia litatengenezwa mahali hapo. "Kupitia mradi huo, ambao umekuwa ukitumiwa kwa miaka mingi, serikali ya Yerusalemu imependekeza ""chivra kadisha"" (jamii ya kuzikia) ili kuepuka kuchukua ardhi zaidi." Hananiah Shakur, Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Shirika la Mazishi la Yerusalemu, ni mmoja wa waandaaji wa maandishi hayo. "Kila mtu anaelewa kwamba kufunika eneo la ardhi na makaburi si jambo zuri sana", anasema Shachor. <unk>Wakati mtu anayeingia Yerusalemu anaona makaburi makubwa mbele yake, haifanyi jiji hilo lijihisi kuwa lenye kukaribisha sana. Lakini ikiwa makaburi yamefichwa chini ya ardhi na tunaweza badala yake kutumia ardhi juu ya ardhi kwa watoto wetu, hii ni wazi ni uboreshaji. <unk> Shachar anadai kwamba faida nyingine ya catacombs ni kwamba watahitaji matengenezo kidogo na matengenezo kwa muda mrefu kwa sababu ni mfumo wa kujizuia. "Katika kipindi cha Hekalu la Pili, hii ilikuwa jinsi Wayahudi walivyozizika wafu wao katika nchi ya Israeli, ingawa iliondoka mtindo kwa sababu ilikuwa njia ya gharama kubwa sana", Shachor anasema. <unk>Wakati huo, hakukuwa na matrekta na watu walihitaji kuchimba mapango ya mazishi kwa nyundo na chembe. Siku hizi ni nafuu kujenga [kwa njia hii] kwa sababu ya mashine. Ikiwa catacombs kuthibitika mafanikio, Shachor matumaini ya kuendelea kupanua mapango na kuongeza zaidi na zaidi niches mazishi. Mwishowe, miji mingine, hasa ile yenye milima karibu, ingeweza kufuata mfano huo na kujenga "miji ya wafu" yao wenyewe ya chini ya ardhi, na hivyo kuhifadhi maeneo ya kijani kibichi na ulimwengu juu ya ardhi kwa vizazi vijavyo. KUKUWA KUTAFUTA DUNIA? Kuunganisha na watu wenye mawazo sawa kwenye safari zetu za premium zilizopangwa na wajumbe wa ndani wa ndani na kwa huduma kwa ulimwengu Kwa kuwa uko hapa, tungependa kushiriki maono yetu kwa siku zijazo za kusafiri - na mwelekeo wa Utamaduni wa Safari. "Kulima Safari ilizinduliwa mwaka 2011 na ujumbe rahisi lakini shauku: kuhamasisha watu kwenda zaidi ya mipaka yao na uzoefu nini hufanya mahali, watu wake na utamaduni wake maalum na maana ""na hii bado ni katika DNA yetu leo." Tunajivunia kwamba kwa zaidi ya miaka kumi, mamilioni kama wewe wameamini mapendekezo yetu ya kushinda tuzo na watu ambao wanaelewa kina nini hufanya maeneo fulani na jamii maalum. "Tunaamini zaidi na zaidi kwamba ulimwengu unahitaji uhusiano wa maana zaidi, wa maisha halisi kati ya wasafiri wenye udadisi wanaotaka kugundua ulimwengu kwa njia ya uwajibikaji zaidi. """ Kwa hivyo, tumeandaa mkusanyiko wa safari za premium za kikundi kidogo kama mwaliko wa kukutana na kuungana na watu wapya, wenye mawazo sawa kwa uzoefu wa mara moja katika maisha katika makundi matatu: Safari za Utamaduni, Safari za Reli na Safari za Kibinafsi. Safari zetu zinafaa kwa wasafiri wa pekee, wanandoa na marafiki ambao wanataka kuchunguza ulimwengu pamoja. Safari za Utamaduni ni safari za siku 5 hadi 16 za kuzamisha, ambazo huchanganya uzoefu halisi wa ndani, shughuli za kuvutia na malazi ya 4-5 * ya kutarajia mwisho wa kila siku. Safari zetu za Reli ni njia zetu za kusafiri za kirafiki zaidi za sayari ambazo zinakualika kuchukua njia ya mandhari, kupumzika wakati wa kupata chini ya ngozi ya marudio. Safari zetu za kibinafsi ni safari zilizoboreshwa kikamilifu, zilizopangwa na Wataalam wetu wa Usafiri haswa kwa ajili yako, marafiki wako au familia yako. Tunajua kwamba wengi wenu wana wasiwasi juu ya athari za mazingira za kusafiri na wanatafuta njia za kupanua upeo wa macho kwa njia ambazo hufanya madhara madogo - na zinaweza hata kuleta faida. Tunajitolea kwenda mbali iwezekanavyo katika kuratibu safari zetu kwa utunzaji wa sayari. "Hiyo ndiyo sababu safari zetu zote hazina ndege katika marudio, na hazina kaboni kabisa, na tuna mipango ya kutamani kuwa na kiwango cha sifuri katika siku zijazo."""