Head of Public Health at the Health Ministry Dr. Sharon Alroy warned on Monday that there is a "serious danger" regarding the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage by ultra-Orthodox Jews to the Ukrainian city of Uman.
Every year, members of the Breslov Hasidic movement descend on Uman at Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year that this year begins on September 18, for a three-day celebration at the gravesite of the movement's founder Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.
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Hasidic Jews at the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman in Uman during a previous Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage
(Photo: Israel Bardugo/Archive)
"There is a serious danger in flights to Uman. Ukraine is a 'red' country with high coronavirus morbidity," Alroy said.
"It is understandable why Hasidic Jews need and want to travel, and we are aware of it, but this poses as a serious threat to a serious increase in virus infections and we request of them to not take part in it this year," she said.
Alroy said that the Health Ministry position is that the flights are dangerous, but that the government is taking into consideration the need to balance the risks and the requirements of certain populations.
Asked if she felt that Israel's coronavirus czar Prof. Ronni Gamzu and the Health Ministry were not receiving enough backing in the handling of the pandemic, Dr. Alroy said that "our professional role is to present our positions and the risks on certain issues."
"Of course the government has the right to make a decision contradictory to our recommendations and consider other risks," she added.
Regarding the possibility of a nationwide lockdown during the Jewish High Holidays next month, Alroy said that although the ministry's stance is to prevent such a scenario, she was concerned that a rise in infections among people aged 65 and above could lead to specific restrictions being imposed of higher risk groups.
"We could possibly ask people with preexisting conditions and those over 65 to stay at home," she said.
"Currently we are not saying this, and we are following the data closely and will make the appropriate public directives."
As Israel nears September 1, the beginning of the school year, Dr. Alroy was asked if she was worried over the potential rise in cases after schools would open.
"When you look at the data from the first virus wave and morbidity among children we see that it is lower among younger ones," she said.
"However," she added, "Among ages 13 and up, grade 7-8, we see a rise in infections that keeps increasing as the age group increases."
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Students at a Jerusalem elementary school wearing protective face masks
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
"The school year will probably not have an immediate major effect, but in the long run, small children could infect their parents or grandparents with preexisting conditions. We are they worried with that. As we did when flights were resumed, we are keeping close eye on the schools and practice caution with every action we take."