First, let me state clearly, the loss of life was horrific: 45 men and boys killed in a stampede at a popular religious shrine in the north of Israel during a pilgrimage made annually by members of various ultra-Orthodox (“Haredi”) religious sects.

Second, let me also state clearly that the tragedy was entirely preventable. The dangerous conditions in ramshackle makeshift shafts and tunnels were widely known for years; ominous government reports in 2008, 2011 and 2016 were ignored. So was the Health Ministry’s recommendation that this year’s crowd be limited to 15,000 or fewer, over coronavirus fears.

Third, though there will be countless investigations, the blame is clear and is shared by the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox communities, who eschew any oversight by civil authority, and by the Israeli government, which historically has kow-towed to Haredi demands in exchange for political support.

You may be asking: What was this celebration-turned-tragedy all about?

It’s based on medieval superstitions about the powers of deceased great sages to provide healing and success to those who pray at their tombs.

Such pilgrimages are not unique to Israel; they have been common for centuries in North Africa and Eastern Europe.

But this one is a mega-event. Since the 13th century, ultra-Orthodox pilgrims have flocked to the burial place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a 2nd-century sage who is credited with mystical powers, on what is reputed to be the day he died: Lag b’Omer, the 33rd day of the seven-week period between the onset of Passover and the festival of Shavuot, at which time tradition says the Jews came into covenant with God at Mount Sinai. Bonfires are set as joyous music and dancing take place throughout the compound.

The fervor of the worshipers at Mount Meron was so great that, even as disaster unfolded, some of the rabbis there assured the hordes that Rabbi Shimon would provide protection from the grave. The narrow-mindedness of the worshipers was so great that, as Israeli Defense Forces scampered to the scene to help, many among the Haredim kicked and spit on female soldiers trying to save their lives. Although Judaism places paramount importance on pikuach nefesh, the command to preserve life, these supposedly pious men put others in greater danger because, God forbid, men and women would be touching.

This, then, is the real tragedy at Mount Meron, highlighting many of the reasons why secular Israelis hold Haredi communities in contempt. Successive Israeli governments have allowed them to feed at the trough of public money while they reject civil law, national service and social norms. The fact that 100,000 people squished together in conditions known to be unsafe testifies to the power that Haredi political parties — representing about 12% of the Israeli population — wield over the entire nation. This situation must end before Israel can fix what is broken and prevent another tragedy in the future.