Theodor Herzl’s grandparents are being brought to Israel to be buried next to him.
The remains of Shimon and Rivka Herzl are expected to be taken from Serbia this week.
A ceremonial funeral is scheduled to be held in Jerusalem on Wednesday, August 5, the 77th anniversary of Theodor’s reburial in the capital, according to a report in the Israel Hayom daily.
Shimon and Rivka will be placed beside him on Mount Herzl, an Israeli official said.
The event will be attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
Herzl’s paternal grandparents lived near Belgrade, and his grandfather served as a Jewish community leader, helping shape the young Theodor’s attachment to Judaism and Zionism.
Shimon Herzl was close to Rabbi Yehuda Alkalai, a Bosnian rabbi, who was one of the early influential advocates of a Jewish return to the Land of Israel.
The remains of Theodore Herzl were brought to Israel in 1949 and buried on Mount Herzl, which was named after him.
“The World Zionist Organization acts out of a deep commitment to fulfilling the wishes of the visionary of the Jewish state, Theodor Herzl, and preserving his legacy,” the World Zionist Organization, which helps preserve Herzl’s legacy through the Herzl Museum at Mount Herzl, said in a statement sent to the Jewish News Syndicate.
“As part of this effort, we have for some time been conducting continuous and sensitive negotiations with all the relevant authorities, with particular intensity over the past four years and through a variety of channels.
“At this stage, due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations, we are unable to elaborate on or confirm specific details about activities on the ground. We are, however, working tirelessly and hope the prolonged negotiations will bear fruit as soon as possible.”
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