Restrictions on Businesses Eased In Israel, Synagogues Expected to Reopen
The Israeli cabinet voted Monday night to ease a number of emergency restrictions on public activity, following a decline in the spread of the coronavirus in Israel.
Effective immediately, public libraries will now be permitted to reopen, non-medical treatments on the body will be permitted, and hotels and guest houses will be allowed to operate once again.
In addition, zoos, safaris, nature reserves, national parks, and nature reserves will be reopened to the public.
Activity at swimming pools will be permitted for competitive athletes and therapy.
Malls, open-air markets, and gyms will be allowed to open this Thursday.
Under the new directives, mall operators will be required to appoint an employee responsible ensuring social distancing rules and health precautions are maintained at the mall. The entry of people to the mall – including mall employees – will be regulated so that at no time will there be more than one person per 20 square meters in the mall.
Beaches will remain largely closed to the general public, though some sport activity in the sea will be permitted.
Outdoor public prayer groups will still be limited to no more than 19 people, but the restriction barring praying more than 500 meters from one’s home or workplace has now been lifted.
Circumcisions may be held with up to 19 people (as opposed to ten) in attendance.
In public places and at workplaces, buildings of more than five stories may have up to 50% of the maximum allowed occupancy in elevators, thus allowing more than two people in any given elevator.
Along with the new directives issued Monday night, officials in the Health Ministry told Israel Hayom Tuesday morning that synagogues will likely be allowed to reopen in the coming days.
“We are looking into gradually allowing prayers in synagogues over the next few days,” the officials said.
“It looks like 20 people will be permitted to pray at any given time at a synagogue, with the number of worshippers permitted in being gradually increased.”
“It’s probably going to happen in the next day or two. We estimate that by the Sabbath, synagogues will be [open].”
