Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced the closure of all schools throughout Israel on Thursday night due to the rising spread of the coronavirus.
Israel’s National Security Council, Health Ministry and Education Ministry officials met on Thursday for lengthy discussions regarding closing all educational institutions in Israel. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accepted the recommendation to close all schools.
The Education Ministry is planning on establishing an online system for online classrooms for all educational institutions, including elementary schools, high schools and higher education institutions.
The Teachers Union of Israel sent a letter to Netanyahu on Thursday requesting that he close all schools in Israel and transfer students to distant learning. “Israel is one of the most crowded countries in the world,” wrote the chairwoman of the union, adding that other countries, including Poland, Italy, Sweden and Denmark have closed their schools, reducing the number of coronavirus cases.
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“Schools and pre-schools are incubators of infectious diseases, creating a significant and immediate danger to students, teachers and their family members…” the chairwoman wrote. “We won’t be able to halt the spread of the virus across Israel if it infects entire schools.”
The Bedouin school system in Israel already began teaching high school students on Thursday at home through online lessons.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
From Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, shlita:
People are afraid of what’s going on but what’s going on is predicted as chevlei Mashiach. And Mashiach is very close.
The Rambam was a doctor for the king. Everyone was jealous of him and asked the king to appoint an Arab doctor instead of the Jew. The king loved the Rambam, but he had no choice so he decided to make a test. Both doctors would have to drink poison and the one who survived would be his doctor.
The Rambam had to drink first. As the Arab prepared the poison, the Rambam prepared medicine. He told his students that as soon as he drank the poison, they should lie him down so the poison would not spread in his body. The Rambam drank his medicine. He then drank the Arab’s poison and his students immediately laid him down and took him home. He felt terrible for a few days, but then it passed.
Then he went back to the King’s palace. Now it was his turn to prepare poison to try to kill the Arab doctor. He went to the kitchen, ground up vegetables, and gave it to the Arab doctor to drink. The Arab drank it and was filled with fear. He felt fine but kept taking different medications to protect himself. He felt ok but then drank milk as a protection because milk cleanses the body. He still felt fine but was shaking from fear. Days passed but his fear grew and grew. He saw the Rambam a few days later and the Rambam asked him, “Did you drink milk?” When the Arab heard that, he instantaneously dropped dead on the floor.
The king was so happy to keep the Rambam as his doctor. He asked the Rambam, “How did you kill him? What was your poison?” The Rambam answered, “Nothing. It wasn’t poison. It was just some vegetables.” The Rambam told the king that it wasn’t the drink that killed him, but rather the Arab’s fears and thoughts had killed him!
When people strengthen fear, it gives power. The fear harms more than the issue itself. It’s sins that kill and nothing else has power. Yes, take precautions, but put all fear to the side. Fill your mind with thoughts of happiness, Strengthen with emunah. Attach strongly to Hashem. And be happy that Mashiach is coming.
We have a tradition that we will be redeemed in the month of Pesach, Nissan. Purim passed and Nissan is coming. It is our time to strengthen our emunah, to strengthen our deveikut to Hashem, to cling to Hashem, to strengthen our happiness, to strengthen our thoughts that the Geulah is coming! People used to sleep with their clothes on in case Mashiach would come. Rabbi Meir baal Haness was buried standing up instead of lying flat, so that when Mashiach would arrive he would be ready to run to greet Mashiach. Instead of fear, push that all away, and instead let’s all fill our minds with thoughts of Mashiach, let’s fill our mouths with prayers asking for Mashiach, let’s actively wait for Mashiach and look forward to his arrival, which can be any minute. If we ask for Mashiach he will come. If we don’t ask, he won’t.
Hashem wants us to ask and beg and plead and scream out that we want Mashiach. We have to prove we want him! That’s our share. That’s our job. And now is the time! We don’t want to, chas v’shalom, lose this opportunity. So let’s ask for Mashiach and let’s all actively show that we are really, really waiting for him. Let’s open our hearts and strengthen our desires for Mashiach! May Mashiach come this Nissan. May Mashiach come speedily and with great mercy and great happiness, amen v’amen!
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i dont think this means the regular charedi yeshivos, it means chinuch atzmai & their ps system ? anyone know?
DO YOU KNOW how dangerous it is for your wife to be home for 4 weeks before pesach with all the kids & maybe also working for her boss from home? YYY , your wife may quarantine herself in her room and keep calling you at work ” TO COME HOME FAST”
oh yes and the goyta said ” SHE NO FEELING WELL < NO COMING!
Are teachers being paid? Full salary, half salary, unemployment benefits? Are school fees being suspended?
You didn’t mention that it only applies to kids over 3rd grade, amongst other exceptions. That’s a huge difference!
I’ve heard a rumor that a lot, if not all, sems are closing and chartering planes to take girls back to America. Can anyone confirm? I suggest that if chadarim are forced to close, go back to tinokos shel beis rabam ke-peshuto, i.e. melamdim take small groups of talmidim in their homes to keep them learning. Torah UMesorah says we need the zechus of hevel pihem.
Our cheder is closed. Only the preschool will be open. Girls schools and high schools are also closed. Wish us hatzlachah with our children the next 4 weeks – especially trying to tell them how excited we are that they are home and we don’t have to miss them now!!!
Mominjerusalem- why u think it’s only over 3rd grade? It’s 1st grade and up. And re the ganim and special ed. he said “for now” staying open.
Por- did not hear anything of the sort. Sounds ridiculous.
Our Cheder, as per Gedolim, is remaining open for those who wish to come.