Heated ‘Discussions’ Over Rosh HaShana Restrictions

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday will hold a special meeting to discuss the plan for operating synagogues during the coronavirus crisis. 

[This comes after Gamzu threatened to quit unless .... The Haredi Parties are fighting for the Mispallelim. Shuls range in size from gigantic to very small. These details must be driving the Israelis crazy. What could be the spiritual meaning to all this? All CV restrictions are bringing the non-religious into the inner workings of the religious world. Are they going to be judged for their attitudes and cooperation? This is bringing the non-religious into the halachos that we live by that they also are responsible for. Will this awaken anything in their neshomos?]

The meeting comes at at the request of the Knesset's haredi parties, and will also include discussion on travel to Uman, Ukraine, for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). 

 Housing Minister Yakov Litzman (UTJ), Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas), and coronavirus czar Professor Ronni Gamzu will participate in the meeting. 

Gamzu's plan for opening synagogues was put together by former IDF Central Command Commander Roni Numa. Under it, the number of worshipers allowed in a synagogue is dependent on the number of entrances the synagogue has, the number of cells (capsules), and the city's rating according to the "traffic light plan." It also limits the number of worshipers to one person per four square meters (43 square feet), up to a maximum of 1,000 people. 

According to News 12, Gamzu has agreed that each of a synagogue's exit can serve up to two capsules, but the haredi ministers are insisting on allowing three capsules per exit. 

The sides also disagree on what constitutes a "red" city under the traffic light plan. Gamzu wants one of the parameters to be the percentage of new cases from the total number of *new cases, so that people will not be afraid to get tested. 

However, the ministers want the parameter to be the percentage of new cases out of the city's entire population. Under the plan, prayers will be permitted during the holiday season under the open sky, regardless of a city's rating. 

These prayer gatherings will be limited to 250 people, who will be in groups of 20. Prayers will be held sitting down, with marked seats. 

Holding prayer sessions with over 250 people will require the approval of the local authority and the district health office. 

In the Western Wall plaza, prayer capsules in areas which allow for sitting down will contain 50 people each, and there will be an empty chair separating members of different households. 

Where there is standing room only, prayer will be limited to groups of up to 30, with a two-meter distance between worshipers.

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*the ‘testing methodology’ should be extremely scrutinized for its authenticity and accuracy by an “independent” medical laboratory not connected to any governmental scrutiny or international body.

REPOST OF STATEMENTS BY PROF RONNI GAMZU ON THE SHULS

LET US NOT FORGET:  

Coronavirus task-force manager Prof. Roni Gamzu promised Monday night in a discussion with reporters that he would adjust restrictions on shuls so that they fit with each shul’s size.

“I apologize for the fact that there are differences in restrictions [between various venues], with restaurants treated differently from shuls – I know that this is upsetting, and it upsets me, too. I was in a shul on Tishah B’Av, I saw the differences and it hurts me, and this is one of the things I am telling you that I will change, but it will take time, as it requires changes in law.”

At the press conference, Gamzu shared some his challenges.

“I think that when it comes to closed, indoor spaces, limitations have to be expressed in terms of the size of the place. It’s hard to instate restrictions that apply equally to small shtieblach and giant shuls. This is true for restaurants, too. When it comes to fixing a number or form of regulation – how can we know that it will really happen? It’s easy to say ‘no more than 10-20 people,’ and much harder to speak in terms of percentages.

“Things also depends on what the facts of the virus are right now. They tell me that we’ve managed to bring down the spread of the virus, so is now the time to take the chance and ease restrictions? Even though I don’t think it was wise to limit mispallelim to ten in a small shtiebel and ten in the Great Synagogue.”

Gamzu added a veiled attack on his precursors: “I must say that there were some limitations that lacked order, and this week I intend to organize them. We won’t tolerate a situation in which there are built-in contradictions. There has to be a clear line of policy, not one that I can’t explain.”

The professor also shared with the media a bit about how the restrictions become garbled in application.

“The government comes along with a decision, but then there’s the whole process, of adjusting it, and … circumventing it. One decision began as a total lockdown on weekends, but ended with a closure on factories and other workplaces on weekends, but restaurants remained open. The result was that a shoe store closes while right next to him a restaurant is open. There were aberrations like these – give me time to fix them.”

Gamzu refused to speaks about flights to Uman, commenting only: “I don’t know yet. I am not familiar enough with the subject. I intend to study it.”

 Natan Eshel, close associate of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, had harsh words for attacks in the secular media against the Breslev kehillah‘s attempt to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, asking: “Where is it more crowded, at the four tefillos at Uman [over the two days of Rosh Hashanah] or at the dozens of protests in Israel – either hypocrisy or anti-Semitism, you decide.”

However, the politics and bureaucracy [a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.].

Source:  Photo and article from hamodia

UPDATE ON QUESTIONABLE UPDATE ON SHULS FOR THE YOM TOVIM

UPDATE TODAY: *Gamzu: Lockdown During Chagim a ‘Possibility’ But ‘It’s Complicated’ 

(back-tracking anti-Haredim nonsense: stay tuned for Prof. Udi Qimron: "History will judge the hysteria”)

As Elul is just around the corner, Shuls around Israel are now planning for the Yomim Noraim under COVID-19 restrictions. While the number of people allowed ...was raised yesterday to 20 in an indoor space and 30 in an outdoor space

"Mirpeset (porch) Minyanim” have also returned as many people who cannot attend shul due to the strictly regulated number YWN

THE THREAT HANGS OVER US:  LOCKDOWN OR NO LOCKDOWN 

Equal Restrictions for Synagogues and Restaurants (oh, really?)

 Did They Forget the Statement of Prof Gamzu, the New Corona Tzar about Synagogues/Shuls?? 

 “We won’t allow any more restrictions without logic. I will not allow harm to economy without a logical reason, I am responsible” 

 And another statement to the effect of: “I think that when it comes to closed, indoor spaces, limitations have to be expressed in terms of the size of the place. It’s hard to instate restrictions that apply equally to small shtieblach and giant shuls” and It’s easy to say ‘no more than 10-20 people,’ and much harder to speak in terms of percentages." Hamodia "Haredi ( ultra- Orthodox) MKs and their community have criticized the limit of 10 worshipers allowed in a synagogue, regardless of size. The current limit on worshipers in prayer services was arbitrary, Chief Rabbi David Lau said last month. It was illogical that the same number of worshipers be permitted in both very small and very large synagogues, he said." JPost 

FROM THIS

TO THIS

 

Was Prof Gamzu has been sidelined trying to be ‘fair’ about this anti-haredi stance?

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein decided, after a consultation with professionals, including Health Ministry Director General Prof. Hezi Levy and coronavirus project manager Prof. Ronni Gamzu, to equalize the conditions of restaurants and houses of prayer, without harming business owners. 

 On Sunday, a draft resolution will be presented stating that in restaurants, public places, businesses and houses of worship, the number of people will be limited to 20 people in a closed space and to 30 in an open space, provided that it is possible to maintain a distance of 2 square meters between tables. 

The restaurant association said in response, "We are pleased with the decision of the Minister of Health and thank Professor Gamzu and the ministers in the Coronavirus Cabinet, who worked over the weekend to cancel the restrictions approved on Friday.”

What about the overly strict restrictions for “houses of worship” for the coming High Holidays: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (the day of trial and sentencing of sinners). Where are all the Jews going to pray to The Creator of the World? Out in the street? In parking lots? By the ocean?

Source: arutzsheva

* Hamodia

Prof. Udi Qimron: "History will judge the hysteria"

Udi Qimron will soon head the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Immunology at Tel Aviv University. In an interview with Yediot Ahronot, Qimron shed further light on the coronavirus. 

B”H Someone with ‘sechel’ has spoken out, but only after 6 months of *manipulated and dictated draconian measures

"There is a very great interest for anyone who has supported the draconian measures taken around the world to say that Sweden's policy has failed. Because if it succeeded, and trillions went down the drain for no reason, someone will have to answer for it.” 

“That is why all over the world they prefer to claim that [Sweden] was wrong. 

But in the end, the truth came to the surface. 

In a world where decision makers, their advisers and the media were able to admit their mistake and the initial panic that gripped them, we would have long since returned to routine. 

The ongoing destruction due to the inability to admit this mistake, despite the epidemic’s small mortality numbers, is outrageous. 

"History will judge the hysteria.”  (if it ever reaches the news sources?)

 "If we had not been told that there was an epidemic in the country, you would not have known there was such an epidemic and you would not have done anything about it," he said emphatically. 

"The fact that this issue runs all day in the media inflates it beyond its natural dimensions. If black death had raged here, as in the 14th century, you would not have had to follow the situation in the news, the bodies would have piled up in the streets. We were not and we are not in this situation today.” 

 Prof. Qimron noted that the total number of coronavirus deaths does not exceed 0.1% of the total population in any country, and the death rate from coronavirus is less than 0.01% of the total world population, meaning that 99.99% of the world's population so far has survived the epidemic and the virus is negligibly lethal. 

 He said smart behavior would be the opposite of what we do today; Populations not at risk should become infected and create chains of immunity, which will protect the sick and the elderly. 

We are currently working for sweeping social distancing, which prevents such differential immunity, he said. He went on to explain that infection of children is a welcome thing, because it protects at-risk populations. 

"For the same reason, I would open up the whole education system, because the vast majority is made up of people who are not at risk. Of course a solution needs to be found for teachers suffering from diabetes or other background diseases, but I see no reason to prevent activities that encourage the economy. Not only because it allows parents to go to work, but also because it lowers mortality in the long run. I would also ask children and young people to take off their masks. Of course, it is impossible to force a child to take off a mask, but proper information will do the job.” 

 "At the same time, I would call on at-risk populations, our parents and people with background illnesses, to avoid social gatherings in the coming months until we reach the appropriate immune depth. It is possible and desirable to recommend at-risk populations to wear masks. 

I would also open the skies and abolish the isolation obligation for those returning from abroad. With the situation of carriers abroad compared to within Israel, there is no reason to isolate tourists, just as you and I are not isolated even though we have an even higher probability than that of a random tourist from abroad to be a carrier. These are things that got into our minds four months ago and we do not understand that their time has passed," he added.

* all because “they” wanted to complete the (satellite) “tracing” of humanity; and let us not omit the “push” for “altering” vaccinations.

Source: arutzsheva