From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Experts warn against allowing gatherings in ‘half open’ sukkahs
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians warns the Health Ministry not to approve a loophole to allow gatherings of up to 20 people in “half open” sukkahs, Army Radio reports.
The Health Ministry is considering whether to make the exception for the makeshift booths built for the holiday which are more than 50 percent open, according to Hebrew media reports. Experts fear the move would pave the way for mass gatherings that would increase coronavirus infections.
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri tells Channel 12 the exception would allow for prayer of up to 20 in the sukkahs, but not eating. Under the lockdown rules, gatherings are capped at 20 outdoors, 10 indoors.
The government said earlier that people who visit sukkahs that are not their own household’s will be fined.
The Times of Israel Community.