Grounded in law. Aligned with Halacha.
Not an innovation - a return to the root.
The Halakhic Dimension
Direct earth burial in linen shrouds is the original Halakhic norm in Israel. It is not new - it is how Jews have been buried for centuries, fulfilling the fundamental commandment: 'For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.'
Trees Above Graves - What is Permitted?
The only relevant Halakhic prohibition concerns planting fruit trees directly above a grave, due to the concern of deriving benefit from the deceased (hana'ah min ha-met). Yaar Ad plants only non-fruit-bearing native forest trees - oaks and terebinths - in full compliance with Halakhic rulings. The minimum 2.5-meter distance also physically protects the integrity of the grave.
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The Legal Framework
Yaar Ad operates under Israel's Right to Alternative Civil Burial Law (5756-1996). The operating entity is a licensed Public Benefit Company with a burial license from the Ministry of Religious Services.
Families whose relatives are buried through Yaar Ad are entitled to standard burial grants from the National Insurance Institute.
Legal Protection of the Grave Across Generations
A traditional cemetery is protected by municipal regulations — which can be changed. Historic cemeteries in Israel and abroad have been relocated, renovated, and even destroyed. Yaar Ad is built on deeper legal protection:
Restrictive Covenant in Land Registry
Every burial plot is registered with a restrictive covenant in favor of the family directly on the lot deed. This covenant passes by inheritance and cannot be revoked without the family's consent — even if the land transfers to other hands in the future.
Public Trust
The Yaar Ad land is registered as a public trust — a legal framework that prevents any change of use, construction, or sale without court approval, practically impossible to obtain. This is a higher tier of protection than any traditional cemetery in Israel.
Alternative Civil Burial Law
Yaar Ad operates under the Alternative Civil Burial Law, supervised by the Ministry of Religious Services — granting it full legal status and anchoring burial rights in primary legislation.
Result: A grave in Yaar Ad is legally better protected than most traditional cemeteries in Israel.