Government Announces Religious Restrictions

The new guidelines to prevent the spread of the Corona virus that were approved early this morning (Wed), prohibit public prayer in enclosed buildings and stipulate that Minyanim can only be convened in open spaces.

Yesterday, official data was released showing that Shuls are the most significant area of ​​infection, and now the Ministry of Health is closing them completely. So far, there have been Shuls that have been operating in a limited format, according to the guidelines; Up to ten people and kept 2 meters away from each other. From today, even this is no longer possible.

As for the public Mikvaot Tahara, it is stipulated that the Mikvaot will operate in a much more limited format; only five people will be permitted into the building at any time (rather than ten, as has been permitted until today) and appointments must be made in advance. The men's Mikvaot are completely closed.

Chuppot and Kidushin can only be held in open spaces, with no more than ten participants. This means that weddings will no longer be possible in the presence of a halachic Minyan, as there are necessary women that must be presnent (such as the bride and the couple's mothers) who are not counted as part of the Minyan. The options currently available to married couples are a ceremony attended by up to ten individuals (including the bride, groom, Mesader Kidushin and witnesses) or postponing the wedding until the restrictions have been removed.

These decisions and more were made at the end of a six-hour government meeting, which ended at 3:30am and after last night's count of confirmed Corona virus cases rose to 1,930. Two patients died yesterday, one died this morning, which brings the total number of victims in Israel from the virus to four.

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