Hundreds of Israeli ultra-Orthodox attend funeral, defying virus orders

Eyewitnesses say police forces that were present at the funeral, attended by some 400 people, not only failed to enforce the new restrictions meant to fight COVID-19 but even allowed for the event to continue with no interruptions
Itay Blumenthal|Updated:
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Hundreds participated in the funeral of a leader of an extreme ultra-Orthodox community who passed away late Saturday in the predominately religious city in central Israel.
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    • Eyewitnesses said police forces were present at the burial ceremony of Rabbi Zvi Shenkar in Bnei Brak, but did not enforce the government restrictions meant to fight COVID-19 on the mourners.
    435947#בניגוד להנחיות- מאות משתתפים בלווית ראש ישיבת בית דוד לצעירים בבני ברק
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    Ultra-Orthodox mourners defy coronavirus measures


    Government measures specify no more than 20 people can participate in a funeral service, while social distancing of two meters between each participant must be observed.
    Some local residents were outraged by the lack of police response to the incident and called the participants of the funeral as "murderers."
    Police claim the mourners observed the restrictions during the proceedings, but pictures obtained by Ynet show that was not the case.
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    ההלוויה בבני ברק - בניגו לתקנות    ההלוויה בבני ברק - בניגו לתקנות
    Hundreds of mourners defy coronavirus measures in Bnei Brak
    The deceased was among the religious leaders who rejected the government's orders in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
    Since the start of the outbreak in Israel, the number of infected in the ultra-Orthodox have spiked after some of its members were reluctant to adhere to the government's guidelines.
    Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan said the funeral was in violation of regulations and posed a real threat to the population at large, "I demand the police forces enforce government measures equally in all sectors of society with no exceptions," he said.
    First published: 09:48, 03.29.20
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    9.
    They are building up an immunity against the virus.
    So far only 15 people out of a population of 9 million has died. Israelis need to stop panicking in fear and go on with their lives. More people are dying of the flu, now at 118,000 than from the coronavirus, 33,900.
    Rich| 03.30.20
    10
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    8.
    finish with that "the Haredim don't do the army and we do!"
    Come on, come on, finish with that "the Haredim don't do the army and we do!" It is a silly way of giving importance to yourself, the only thing you have done in your life was wasting time on television and raising useless children. We all know that "the soldiers" no longer go to war. That was 50 years ago. Now wars are fought with planes and missiles. So what are our brave soldiers doing in the army for 3 years? Well, there are thousands of online videos. They all go to bed with everyone, they go from party to party and do nothing for them or for the country who also protest that we are not going to the army. We are studying, we are raising our children with rectitude, with wisdom. They envy, to see themselves in the mirror, fat, with an empty head thinking what Bibi or Ganz do. Finish, worry about your children's discarded families, your fatherless grandchildren.
    john| 03.29.20
    07
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    ridiculous comments
    John in Jerusalem, I am religiously observant and you need to know that we still have soldiers that train hard every day for our survival. We train and we fight and are willing to fight. It is a ridiculous comment to say that we who have served, are serving and will serve are not fighters. We are fighting for our very existence. Many of us are Orthodox and many are not, but we are brothers in arms and must continue to train, continue to protect and if needed continue to fight. We always give thanks to Ha Shem like we should always give thanks to the army of Israel.
    LouGolan| 03.30.20
    30
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