Following Israel’s announcement on Wednesday that anyone returning from France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Spain will be required to self-quarantine, a directive that applies retroactively to anyone who has visited these countries in the past two weeks, a number of Mir bochurim who returned from their homes in Europe recently will now have to self-quarantine, B’Chadrei Chareidim reported.

However, the bochurim lack a private home to self-quarantine since they share apartments with other bochurim. One bochur told B’Chadrei that he not only shares an apartment with other bochurim but has three roommates. His family lives abroad and he doesn’t have relatives in Israel who can help him and he has nowhere to self-quarantine.

“I know that there are other bochurim in the same situation,” he said, “and we’ll probably look for an apartment where we can self-quarantine together. Meanwhile, I’m alone in my room and my roommates went to other apartments. But there are bochurim that have nowhere to be.”

Also, B’Chadrei reported that dozens of bochurim who booked tickets to go home for Pesach and had stopovers in Italy canceled their tickets.

According to the report, Rosh Yeshivas Mir, Harav Eliezer Yehudah Finkel, is currently in France and will have to self-quarantine for 14 days when he returns. However, B’Chadrei was told by those close to him that he may continue to the States instead of returning to Israel.

The hanhala of yeshivos that cater to bochurim from chutz L’Eretz are worried about the implications of the Health Ministry’s restrictions on the entry of non-Israeli citizens from Europe which will affect many of their students.

In Crown Heights at 770, chassidei Chabad who are chassanim have a different problem, according to a COL report, which explained that many Israeli chassanim learn in 770 during their engagement.

Following reports that Israel was considering adding the United States to the list of countries deemed high-risk for the spread of the coronavirus, the chassanim are quickly booking tickets to Israel to ensure they can be present at their own weddings and not be stuck in self-quarantine.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)