Some hassidic children go back to school despite national lockdown

Non-hassidic ultra-Orthodox schools have yet to reopen.

By JEREMY SHARON
Ultra-Orthodox children wearing face masks at their school in the city of Rehovot, May 24, 2020 (photo credit: YOSSI ZELIGER/FLASH90)
Ultra-Orthodox children wearing face masks at their school in the city of Rehovot, May 24, 2020
(photo credit: YOSSI ZELIGER/FLASH90)
Several incidents were recorded Monday morning of ultra-Orthodox children from hassidic communities returning to school despite the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.
Schools in Beitar Illit and Bnei Brak were seen welcoming pupils, while the rest of the education system remains shuttered due to the pandemic, although some hassidic courts chose not to open their schools on Monday.
The leading rabbis of the non-hassidic ultra-Orthodox community, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, gave instructions not to open schools until such a step has been coordinated with local authorities.
Kanievsky in particular, who is currently himself suffering from COVID-19, has until now been insistent that ultra-Orthodox schools remain open regardless of national policy, asserting that Torah study “protects and saves” from physical danger, including the viral pandemic.  
Initially on Sunday, he had reportedly said that schools should open, but a notice regarding the cooperation with local authorities was issued later.
On Monday morning, schools connected to the Slonim and Nadvorna hassidic communities were open, with children arriving as normal without any police interference, according to Channel 12.
Police discovered a hassidic school in Bnei Brak operating as usual, and several schools were closed down by the police in Beit Shemesh.
Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch said on Twitter that the reopening of hassidic schools was “disgraceful” and called for police to shut down such schools immediately.