Tel-Chai Nation

The Israeli government finally decided to stand firm on imposing a lockdown on 40 cities and/or neighborhoods considered "red zones" where Coronavirus struck the worst. These are mainly Haredi and Arabic residences, where guidelines haven't exactly been followed well, all because of flawed religious beliefs impeding on a wish to maintain healthiness. Predictably, it sounds like officials in predominantly Haredi city of Bnei Brak aren't taking kindly to what's being done for the sake of health until vaccines can finally be issued:

Even more difficult to live with, in many ways, is the fact that the education system has been shut down entirely, even during daytime hours, in all “red” areas across the country. “There is no schooling, period,” Morgenstern says. “As for yeshivas, anyone who started learning in Elul [three weeks ago] in a capsule can continue – anyone else stays home.”

Morgenstern doesn’t deny that the number of cases in Bnei Brak – as in many other parts of the country – is still rising. “We conducted around 2,200 tests two days ago, and should get the results today, and then we’ll see where we’re holding. If only people with symptoms are getting tested, then the numbers will certainly drop,” he adds. Recent “spikes” in morbidity statistics in Bnei Brak and other haredi localities have been caused by the government’s requiring all yeshiva students to get tested, regardless of symptoms, which unsurprisingly yielded a portion of positive results that would likely have been replicated in any secular locality too, if their residents had been forced to be tested.

When asked if people are becoming more reluctant to get tested, Morgenstern replies that “my feeling is yes. There are definitely segments of haredi society where people are saying not to get tested.” He adds that, “People are very bitter, and perhaps rightly so. Why has the whole of Bnei Brak been locked down, whereas in other cities, only specific neighborhoods were forced to close? The feeling is that if the mayor of a city, like in Eilat, is close to the decision-makers in the government, then just a neighborhood or two is shut down. If there’s no such connection to Likud high-ups, then the whole city gets put on the red list.”

Hmm, if I'm reading this right, he's attacking the Likud, even if only indirectly. Figures. As for education, I think the interviewee from the Bnei Brak city hall knows perfectly well it's possible to study at home, with or without computer equipment, but they'd rather it all be done in class, likely so they can indoctrinate the subjects at the expense of the parents, which is sadly a persistent problem in Haredi communities.

Labels: haredi corruption, islam, Israel, Israeli Arabs, Knesset, Moonbattery