In the news:
- Israel allowed Ikea stores to re-open while other small businesses, such as falafel stands, must remain closed. There is completely understandable "outrage" over the "scandalous decision."
- People in East Jerusalem are flouting corona virus guidelines.
- Ramadan begins Friday. The government has declared there will be lockdowns at night during the month, when Muslims feast after a day of fasting. (Were majority Muslim towns on lockdown during Pesach?)
- There is a plague of locusts in South Africa. (As I understand it, locusts can spread over very large regions.)
- Clinical trials of coronavirus vaccine will begin today in the UK.
- There were many large protests in Israel today. People want to get back to work.
Arlan walked up to my building to join me for cat feeding tonight. Boudica wasn't around this evening. I'm worried about her A very frail, gray cat, who I've seen just once before, limped up to us. I gave him a little of the canned cat food, and once I'd ascertained that Boudica wasn't around, gave it all to him. The other cats were actually quite nice; they didn't try to eat the canned food and accepted the dry food I gave them.
Arlan and I spent time in Canada Gardens. At the first set of steps, we fed Louie and then were joined by half a dozen other cats. We talked for a while before walking down to a bench by the first playground. Louie stuck with us and was generally adorable and mischievous. The air was wonderful. Eventually we walked further down and sat near the store. Neither of us really wanted to go home, but it we each want to get up early tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I hope to be more disciplined and focused. I may have already sabotaged that goal by staying up much too late watching Rabbi Sacks videos.
Tonight begins fifteen days, which is two weeks and one day of the Omer:
There are no fast tracks. Lasting achievement takes time. You can never get
there by the shortest road. The harder it gets, the stronger you become.
there by the shortest road. The harder it gets, the stronger you become.
_________
Presumably, the Israeli government website will be updated, making the above link outdated, so here are the police guidelines as posted on 21 April 2020.
(Note, Ikea stores generally aren't in malls, so that may be why they're open. And I'm not certain, but it sounds as if Arlan and I may be exempt from wearing masks if we hike together in the hills-- are hiking buddies "regular partners?")
Observe the guidelines – save lives!
In accordance with the guidelines issued by the state
leadership and the instructions of the Ministry of Health, the Israel
Police is currently enforcing the restrictions aimed at combating the
spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Israel, along with an extensive
public education campaign and guiding the public’s behavior. We call
upon Israel’s citizens to obey the police officers’ instructions, to act
responsibly and exercise restraint, and to contribute to the common
effort to curb the spread of the virus.
1. List of permitted purposes for leaving the house:
- Traveling to and from a workplace.
- Receiving medical care.
- Donating blood.
- Demonstration.
- Legal proceeding.
- Going to the Knesset.
- Administering social services.
- Transporting a minor between divorced parents.
- Transporting a minor whose parent was required to leave home for an essential purpose.
- Buying goods or receiving services in a location which is permitted to operate.
- Fresh air – an individual or a group of cohabiting people leaving a residence for a short time, and at a distance of up to 100 meters from the residence, in the public space only.
- Sports – activity by an individual, or an individual accompanied by a regular partner, or a group of cohabiting people, at a distance of up to 500 meters from the residence. The activity is not to be performed in a park or at the beach, unless they are located 100 meters from the residence, and not in a playground.
- Circumcision ceremony (up to 10 participants).
- Immersion in a ritual bath (mikveh) – women.
- Immersion in a ritual bath – men (up to 3 people in the building).
- Prayer in an open space, within a 500-meter range from the place of residence or workplace, with the participation of up to 19 people, while maintaining a distance of 2 meters between participants.
- It is forbidden to conduct a wedding outside the place of residence, with the exception of a wedding held in an open space, with the participation of up to 10 people, while maintaining a distance of two meters between participants.
- Funeral (up to 20 participants, in an open space only).
- Number of people permitted to travel together in a private vehicle: Driver + passenger, unless they are people who share the same residence, or in case there is an essential need for over two passengers to travel in the same vehicle.
2. Prohibited locations:
- It is forbidden to spend time in a playground.
- It is forbidden to spend time in a business that is barred from operation.
- It is forbidden to spend time in a public park or a beach, unless it is located up to 100 meters from the residence.
- A distance of two meters must be maintained between people, with the exception of people who share the same residence.
3. Locations or businesses that are barred from operation:
- Shopping mall.
- A shop of any kind (with the exception of a list presented below), except by delivery service.
- Dance club, bar, pub, event venue, fitness facility, swimming pool, water park, zoo, safari, petting zoo, bathhouse, movie theater, theater, library, museum, other cultural institution, amusement park, gymboree/play center, amusement facility, business for non-medical body treatments (including hairdressers, manicure salons and so forth), alternative medicine treatments, concert venues and fairgrounds, watercraft for public use, cable car, nature reserve, national park, heritage site, site offering tourist attractions.
- Retail marketplace (open to the public), market stand, and food stand.
4. Food establishments (restaurants, cafés and more):
Will remain closed, but are permitted to sell food by
delivery service only (without takeout), with orders taken by phone or
online, and placing the delivery at the entrance to the residence.
5. List of businesses and locations whose operation is permitted – by opening their doors to the public:
- Grocery establishment (supermarkets, grocery stores and more).
- Pharmacy.
- Optician’s shop.
- Shops that mainly sell hygiene products (such as drugstores).
- Repair workshop for telecommunication products and computers.
- Businesses located outside shopping malls, which mainly sell goods or provide services in the following fields: Information and telecommunications, video and audio equipment, computers and peripherals, software and communication equipment, home textiles, metal utensils, paints and glass, rugs, carpets and wall and floor coverings, furniture, home electrical and gas appliances, housewares and other household goods with the exception of toys and games, culture and leisure items, books, newspapers, office supplies and stationary, sports and cycling equipment, musical instruments, music and films on physical media, medical accessories, laundromats, sewing shops and shoemaker’s workshops.
- It is forbidden to operate a marketplace (with the exception of a wholesale marketplace) or a market stand, except for shops or businesses that are permitted for operation according to the above list.
- Aesthetic treatments: A physician is forbidden to operate a clinic or operating room to administer treatment for aesthetic purposes, unless the treatment is required for an essential health need, and subject to the licensing terms of the clinic or operating room.
6. Wearing a face mask:
It is required to wear a face mask in the following locations:
- A building other than one’s residence or another place where one stays on a regular basis.
- Public transportation.
- Assembly in an open space.
People exempted from the requirement to wear a face mask:
- A minor under age six.
- A person who has significant difficulty covering their mouth and nose due to a mental, cognitive or medical disability.
- A person in a closed or separated location, without another person present.
- A person with other cohabiting people.
- A person in a closed location.
- A person participating in a media broadcast who is required to speak on the air.
- Two workers who are in one room on a regular basis, while maintaining a 2-meter distance between one another.
- A person performing individual sports activity with another regular partner, or cohabiting people who perform sports activity together.
It is required to carry a face mask (without wearing it)
while spending time in any place other than one’s residence or another
place where one stays on a regular basis. The following people are
exempted from the requirement to carry a face mask:
- A minor under age six.
- A person who has significant difficulty covering their mouth and nose, or is unable to do so, due to a mental, cognitive or medical disability.
- A person performing individual sports activity with another regular partner, or cohabiting people who perform such sports activity together.
The following applies to the owner or operator of a venue
open to the public, which operates in a building in which people are
required to wear a mask:
- No entry to the building may be granted to a person who is not wearing a face mask.
- No service may be given to a person who is not wearing a face mask.
- A notice announcing the requirement to wear a mask on the premises must be hung at the entrance and in other noticeable locations.
- If there is a public address system, an announcement must be played over it at least once every half hour, stating the requirement to wear a face mask.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for commenting! I enjoy hearing from my readers and getting a chance to see their blogs, too!