Israel's ultra-Orthodox hard-hit covid-19

Israel has imposed far-reaching restrictions in the fight against the corona virus. Schools and workplaces have been closed and religious gatherings in larger groups have been banned. 

But during the Pesach Feast recently, images of ultra-Orthodox rabbis were circulating, holding religious ceremonies attended by a few hundred people. On the contrary to the rules of the Israeli Ministry of Health.

In the district of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem, riot police have dissolved prayer times and arrested stone-throwing ultra-Orthodox parishioners who protested the state's intervention.

In the ultra-Orthodox enclave of Bnei Brak outside Tel Aviv, the military was deployed to shut down the area for two weeks.

Just over a million people - about a tenth of the state of Israel's population are ultra-Orthodox Jews. The reasons why they were so badly affected by the corona virus are several. They have large families and live tighter than the average Israeli population.

They are poorer and more dependent on public transport than other Israelis. They also distrust secular media and the modern state, and their leaders, despite Israel's strict rules, have not taken the alarm reports on the corona virus seriously but allowed prayer times in crowded synagogues to continue.

The rapid spread of viruses in the ultra-Orthodox groups, which in Hebrew is called "haredim" or "god-fearing", aroused strong reactions in Israel after the spread of mobile films showing crowded streets and large weddings after the introduction of strict social distance rules.

The influence of the religious parties is a hot political issue in Israel where most ultra-Orthodox have dropped the otherwise mandatory conscription service for both men and women on the grounds that they instead serve the country through Torah studies and prayers.

Israel acted early on covid-19 with strict quarantine rules for entry and mass testing of the population.

187 people have died and there are more than 14,000 known cases of coronary infection.

In recent days, the Israeli government has eased the tough restrictions. Some workplaces and shops have been opened, childcare in smaller groups is allowed and prayer times in groups of up to 10 people may be met outdoors.