Something weird and dangerous is going on in Tel Aviv, and I think it is going to backfire on them..

I dont see it on the website or Facebook page of the World Organization of Orthodox Communities and Synagogues but the religious news sites are reporting on a set of guidelines recommended by this organization for our shuls, considering the uptick in terror attacks.

There are no guarantees, either way, even in a house of worship. But.

I am not familiar with this organization and I do not know how influential or impactful they are but The World Organization of Orthodox Communities and Synagogues has submitted a recommendation to community leaders and shul gabbaim for preparing for the upcoming High Holidays. 

Haredim10 brings the interesting words of the Satmar Rebbe from Kiryas Joel yesterday.

Technically right now in Israel shuls are open according to the Green Passport guidelines - only people vaccinated or recovered are allowed in. And in shuls numbers of people are limited, with the requirement of distancing and mask wearing.

The organizers of the outdoor minyan near my house sent out a note today about the minyan disbanding.

There was a court case in Northern Israel that was the result of a fight that broke out in shul over a pot of cholent.

PM Netanyahu and the Health Ministry have been putting a  lot of effort to try to get the Haredi community on board with the lockdown regulations. They have been meeting or calling different rabbonim and community leaders to explain the urgency of the matter and to ask for their voice in calling on people to adhere to the regulations.

Before Rosh Hashana the news reported that Minister Deri was arranging assistance on the municipal level to prepare all public buildings such as schools and community centers to be used for minyanim so many of the outdoor minyanim would be able to be indoors with air conditioning. 

The famous story is told about Winston Churchill (though some sources claim it happened with various other people) at a dinner party:

At a dinner party Churchill says to his dinner companion, "Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?" 

 The woman responds, "My goodness, Mr. Churchill. I suppose I would." 

 Churchill replies, "Would you sleep with me for five pounds?" 

 She answers, "Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?" 

 Churchill answers, "Madam, we've already established that. Now we are haggling about the price."

There are currently two new big fights going on in the government between the Haredi parties/public and Netanyahu (and his government).

1. One fight is regarding the decision to allow restaurants to open with a maximum of 50 people dining, while at the same time limiting minyanim outdoors to 20 (and indoors to 10). The restaurant situation is actually a fight within the government itself even without the Haredi reps - the government wants to shut it all down, and the Corona Committee wants to allow them to remain open as the government has not shown any significant level of danger by allowing them to remain open (with strict guidelines). Assuming that fight will get resolved by leaving them open, the Haredim are upset that restaurants are left open for 50 diners and minyanim with only 20/10.

The big difference, in my opinion, is that people go to minyan 3 times a day. Aditionally, there is some amount of socializing at minyan. On the way in and out, and honestly sometimes during services as well, people talk to each other, say hello to friends, etc. The restaurant - any given person goes to a restaurant maybe once a month or once every couple of weeks. if someone goes once a week that is considered eating out a lot. Also, there is almost no socializing done at restaurants besides for socializing with the person you went with - your spouse, kids, other half of your business meeting, whatever, but you are not socializing with other people just sitting in the restaurant at their own tables. In the shul everyone is doing an activity together, and in the restaurant everyone is doing their own thing.
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2. The second fight is over the "stimulus" money being talked about. Netanyahu announced the plan to give out money to everyone, and parents would get money up to, and including, the 3rd child under 18. At first it became a fight about only giving to those in need and not to everyone, not to the wealthy, not to those still working, not to those earning over a certain income... now the fight is why stop at 3 children and why not give for all children under 18? Stopping at 3 is discrimination against Haredim who have many more children on average. Do those children not deserve the money for food and things?

I agree with this. The plan is to give the money to every single person, whether they need it or not. Every person should get it, except the fourth child in a family? Every person except the fifth or eighth child? Why does child #4 or #8 deserve it any less than anyone else? If you come up with a great plan (and it is fair to debate whether the plan is actually good or not) to hand out money to everyone, give it to everyone.

I don't know if the suggestion below is right or wrong, more on point or less than any other suggestions (including the one referenced). That is way above my pay-grade. My point in bringing this here is to point out that there are always other ways to look at these things. People who insist on knowing the cause of events like this generally have an agenda they are pushing and are blind to any other options.

If the State is opening schools, even at a rolled out slow pace, I do not see why they should not also allow shuls to open.

Obviously, anyone in a high risk group, due to being immuno-compromised or over a specific age, should be advised not to go. Anybody who is more concerned should not go. It should only be allowed, at first with maximum numbers of 20 or whatever, with distancing, open windows, disinfectant, and all other necessary requirements

But it should be allowed.

if the State is saying we think it is safe to have studies indoors, there is no logical reason to not also rollout the allowances for services in shuls, within guidelines.

Whether or not this is a good idea at all remains to be seen. I guess within two to three weeks from when the schools actually open, but there is no reason to test one and not the other.

According to reports, the German government is allowing shuls to reopen, along with churches and mosques, under certain conditions.

Basically the rules for shuls will be social distancing and no socializing.
The rules include:
 - requiring the synagogue administration to disinfect all siddurim and chumashim before and after services.
 - each congregant keep a distance of at least 2m from others. Only family members can sit together
 - face masks must be worn. Only the rabbi and the cantor can go without, and only while they are on the bima alone
 - no handshakes, hugging or kissing
 - no kissing the Torah and mezuzas, and no carrying the Torah around the shul amongst the congregants
 - congregants called up to the Torah should stand away from the bima
 - people should preferably register with their shul to attend services there
 - no singing during services
 - prayer times should be kept as short as possible
 - for now only large shuls can be used, where social distancing can be kept. small shul structures that might be more crowded and harder to allow the necessary distancing cannot be used.

It looks like the Germans also don't like the shleppy long drasha or the drawn out chazzanus....

I am not sure what is wrong with singing during the services. Perhaps they think it will lead to dancing. And maybe even mixed dancing (especially in a non-Orthodox synagogue).

So the Germans are opening the shuls but not allowing the Jews praying inside to socialize. That means no talking in shul.

Presumably, anything the Germans want Jews to do, we are supposed to do the opposite, right? So we should talk in shul, when we get to go back, right?

The city of Bnei Braq has been hit by the CoronaVirus particularly hard and the Haredi community there, and elsewhere, is reeling from it. It is not just from events like the funeral yesterday of a Peleg-associated rabbi that has hundreds in attendance not keeping any of the social distancing rules, but the minyanim and mikvas and general population density of Bnei Braq makes it troublesome. I don't know what reports are exaggerated and what is real, but they are talking about many people there having caught the virus and it spreading like wildfire. Only now are the community leaders there finally taking notice and changing their tune as far as behavioral instructions.

To that end, Rav Chaim Kanievsky just issued a psak a short while ago that they hope will be more effective in making people stop and take notice.

Rav Kanievsky paskened, currently specifically for Bnei Braq and not in general, that people should daven alone at home and not in any shul. People should NOT make private minyanim. It is pikuach nefesh.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky adds that anyone not davening at home but in a minyan has the status of a rodef and if you are aware of such a minyan or person you must report him to the authorities, even with the knowledge that this might lead to him being arrested or slapped with a large fine. If you are aware of someone who is meant to be in quarantine but is not following the quarantine rules, you are allowed to shame him publicly over this.

Rav Kanievsky also added that this is not just for davening, but people should also learn Torah at home and not in shuls, even alone in shuls and batei medrash.
source: Behadrei, Kikar, among others

Many people find interesting and creative ways around this in other cities in which this has already been in practice, such as balcony or porch minyanim with people each on their own porch davening together with someone central they can all hear leading the services. It is cute, but the rabbonim did not say to find a way around it. They said daven at home. As innovative as such solutions might be, and seemingly safe, they create an atmosphere of looking for ways around the rules, and even if this or that person is careful to do it while following the guidelines strictly, maybe other people will take example without being as careful. Additionally, I myself have seen such minyanim that seem to be ok, but then other people join in below in the center in the parking lot between the buildings and porches, and invariably those people often are not keeping the guidelines carefully. Stop trying to outwit the system. Just daven at home, as the rabbonim say to. Right now be machmir on pikuach nefesh.

New Ministry of Health guidelines are now limiting shuls, with the instructions of the Chief Rabbinate.

Among the new guidelines, shuls should have minyanim with more than 100 people.
If the shul has more than 100 people, they should break off into multiple minyanim in separate rooms or at different times.
The shul should be aired out and ventilated well at all times
The gabbaim of the shul should ensure proper hygiene and cleanliness kept all around the shul, and have disinfectant available
People mean to be in quarantine should NOT come to shul but should daven at home

for now schools and yeshivas should continue as normal and have not [yet] been instructed to close or decrease activity.

Weddings and simchas can continue as scheduled, but with a small number of guests (100 max)

Visiting the sick is an important mitzva but in the current situation with this highly contagious virus it should not be done. People should look for other ways to help those who are sick or in quarantine.

Regarding bris mila, as much as they have to be careful of these things all year round, the Rabbanut has said that the mohel should be extra careful now to ensure use of sterilized equipment, washing hands with a brush and soap, rinsing out his mouth with Listerine shortly before the bris itself. A mohel obligated in quarantine must follow the rules and not perform the bris - an alternate mohel should be found.

According to INN Chicago is at the forefront of shul members being prepared to protect the shul and its congregants form anti-semitic attacks against these institutions.

An organization has been founded, called "CCL Shul members" made up of a membership of Jewish shul goers who have all applied for and been granted concealed carry licences.

The organization offers courses in advanced frearms training and forms of situation specific training. They work to ensure its members are keeping on top of training how to respond in the worst situations, which we all hope never happen, and keep their skills sharp and are aware of the latest innovations and tactics.

After a few attacks and the discussion became heated about Jews carrying guns in shul, many were nervous that it would lead to a gun culture, but even worse that we would have many under-trained people carrying guns responding in highly tense situations and putting even more people at risk. An organization like this can be a real solution in ensuring proper training and abilities.

There are a number of issues that must be dealt with when considering the question of people bringing guns to shul for security. The problem is current, with the rise in anti-semitic attacks in shuls around the United States of America.

Among those issues are:

•   Pikuach Nefesh
•   Muktze, on Shabbos
•   carrying where there is no eruv, on shabbos
•   women carrying guns
•   bringing a weapon, an instrument of death, into shul, a place of prayer

There might be other issues as well, but these are the halachic issues that come to mind off the top of my head. I am obviously not going to write a halachic treatise about this, but from the shiurim and discussions I have heard on the matter, each issue mentioned above is hotly debated among the different halachic authorities.

A rabbi from Monsey went to Rav Chaim Kanievsky to ask whether the shul should place a guard with a gun outside the shul due to the danger.

When Rav Chaim refused to answer, saying they can do what they want, the fellow pressed on, through Rav Kanievsky's assistant/grandson/chavrusa/translator, insisting on receiving a real answer because the people want to do what Rav Chaim says is right. Rav Kanievsky concludes that a guard is not necessary and they do not need to hire a guard.

He then continued, asking if people coming to shul to daven can bring guns with them. Rav Kanievsky's response of pikuach nefesh was rejected explaining there is no immediate danger, there is no attacker in front of us, it is just a concern of a situation that might possibly arise. To that Rav Kanievsky answered that they can bring guns to shul.



Some people are very anti-gun, or at least opposed to the proposal that more people in the frum Jewish community should be applying for gun permits and be available for protection. Some people think this is a recipe for disaster and you'll have a bunch of hotheads all around town, in every shul and every supermarket who are not trained properly and will start shooting at every thing or person that looks suspicious. And with their under-trained eye and shooting skills, they will not just respond improperly and inappropriately but will also put bystanders at risk.

I am not really pro or anti guns. Carrying a gun does not interest me, but I am fine with other people carrying guns. Obviously anyone discussing the matter and supporting, or promoting, an increase of frum men and women applying for gun licences will also want those people to train in proper firearms use, and also in how to respond to terror and other attacks. Nobody wants a bunch of untrained people running around with guns that they treat like toys.

The "psak" above has been heavily criticized by people as being irresponsible and uninformed. I don't know what he meant beyond what he said, which was very little, but I highly doubt Rav Chaim Kanievsky wants a bunch of untrained people getting guns and shooting them at every new person who walks into shul because of a perceived threat. I am confident Rav Kanievsky was referring to people who have guns and are trained in their usage, or people who will get such training. It is not uncommon in Israel to see people in shul carrying guns, even if in Bnei Braq it might be a little less common. Rav Chaim's default and assumption is likely the assumption that people licenced to carry a gun are trained and required to go though rigorous training and oversight.