Following a mass levaya near Monsey last week which reportedly created major traffic disruptions, the town of Chestnut Ridge has made a puzzling demand from cemetery officials.
The Rebbe of Rachmastrivka, Rabbi Chai Yitzhak Twersky, passed away last week and was laid to rest in a mass funeral that apparently disturbed the leaders of the town of Chestnut Ridge, just south of Monsey.
The kevurah took place in the Har Shalom cemetery in Airmont, which is near Chestnut Ridge.
Following the levaya, Chestnut Ridge village officials sent a letter to the cemetery, upset that they did not receive sufficient advance notice prior to the large levaya which caused extensive traffic and gridlock in their village.
In fact, their Special Counsel Alak Shah wrote a letter demanding that in the future, they be provided notice “at least six months in advance” of a big funeral.
The letter discussed “an unacceptable situation in Chestnut Ridge on August 16, 2023, which was the direct result of Har Shalom Cemetery’s failures”.
It added that “Chestnut Ridge officials, including the Mayor or its Village Board of Trustees, were never consulted or even so much as provided any advance notice of the significance of the funeral event for Grand Rabbi Twersky.”
The letter stated: “If there is any anticipated funeral or related procession or event such that Har Shalom orchestrates a plan ahead of time, the notice must be provided at least six months in advance and Chestnut Ridge officials consulted so proper traffic plan arrangements can be made.”
In the cemetery’s response to the village, it wrote: “…if Har Shalom is notified of an impending death that may result in such anticipated funeral six months in advance of the occurrence, Village of Chestnut Ridge will be notified.”

