The funeral of Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik

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January 31, 2021 Thousands of

'haredim' (Orthodox Jews)

participated in Jerusalem, in violation of all anti Covid regulations, in the funeral of an influential rabbi who died due to the fatal outcome of this disease.

Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik,

head of the "brisk" religious school, died at the age of 99 after contracting the infection in recent months. 



The funeral began from his home at 11 (local time) for a city cemetery where the burial will take place, probably with the arrival of other followers of Soloveitchik.

According to media reports, police said they prevented hundreds of others from attending the funeral by blocking cars and buses heading for the ceremony outside the city.

A police spokesman, quoted by Haaretz, admitted that officers are unable to enforce anti-covid restrictions in the face of such a turnout.

"I don't want to go and confront 20 thousand people - explained the spokesman Shabtai Gerberchik - for the simple fact that I am not able".

Deputy Minister of Health Yoav Kisch denounced that "that funeral will cause more funerals".  



At the end of the prayers a procession will be organized that will reach an important cemetery in the city.

This is the second mass funeral taking place today in Jerusalem.

According to the media, the police keep their distance but managed to get the funeral ceremony to be broadcast live on the web, thus limiting the number of participants at least in part.

During a session of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister

Benyamin Netanyahu

denounced "gatherings of people are always gatherings - he said - whether they take place among the Orthodox, or among the laity or among Arabs. There are gatherings in all sectors. . They must stop immediately, and political exploitation must not be made. This - he concluded - is the moment of unity ". 



The country is currently in the third national lockdown and in the same hours the Knesset approved a law wanted by

Benny Gantz's

Blue White

that increases fines for all and reiterates the closure of religious schools.

A circumstance that aroused the harsh reaction of Deputy Prime Minister Gantz: "Millions of families and children are closed in their homes and respect the rules while thousands of Haredim crowd the funeral, most of them even without masks", tweeted Gantz. describing it as evidence of "unfair application" of the rules.

"We will not accept the continuation of false ineffective isolation. Either everyone is locked up or everyone is open. The days of indulgence are over."



In March, the country

returns to the polls

and ultra-Orthodox Israelis, or Haredim, form a key part of Netanyahu's electoral base, so failure to enforce the rules has become a political issue.

In recent weeks there have been clashes in different areas of the country between police and ultra-Orthodox groups who have challenged the guidelines of social distancing, including by keeping Orthodox schools open and organizing mass events.