A number of platforms seating 20 people each will be built in the square in order to split audiences into capsules. In total, the square will be able to host events attended by up to 600 people.
"The Jerusalem Municipality has proven yet again that even in a time of crisis, it will not give up on culture and the obligation to make it accessible to the general public through a variety of creative solutions," said Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. "The Safra Model for holding cultural events is the first of its kind in Israel and utilizes the special architectural design of the town hall square for a higher purpose such as the continued existence of culture."
The establishment of the new venue is the latest move by the Jerusalem Municipality to allow cultural events and entertainment, while also keeping residents safe amid the coronavirus crisis.
In the past month, the city worked with bars in the city to make them coronavirus-safe and licensed them as "snack bars" instead of regular bars, allowing them to remain open. A number of events and workshops have been organized by the city in bars throughout the city in a series called "Bar Simantov."
The city has also organized music trucks on which singers and performers travel through the city providing traveling concerts to Jerusalem residents while following coronavirus regulations.A drive-in theater was opened at the First Station in August to allow movies to be screened while following Health Ministry regulations.The Culture Ministry announced on Tuesday that performance halls will be allowed to reopen on September 1.