As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage in Israel, Israel’s Defense Ministry and the IDF are busy evacuating Chareidi coronavirus patients, who often lack the proper quarantine conditions at home, to coronavirus hotels.
However, with an average of over 1,500 new coronavirus patients being diagnosed every day in Israel, the hotels are filling up so quickly that a creative solution is being discussed, renting “coronavirus cruise ships” to house the many patients who still want to go to hotels, Kikar H’Shabbos reported.
During the first wave, many Chareidi coronavirus carriers did not want to go to the hotels, (especially since the first wave began before Pesach when many people are mapkid to eat only at home) and at the height of the first wave, only 2,600 Chareidi patients had been evacuated to hotels. That number stands in contrast to the current wave, when over 4,500 Chareidi patients have already been evacuated to hotels and many many more are on a waiting list.
In light of the large amount of Chareidi patients who are requesting to be evacuated, the Defense Ministry is considering renting two “cruise” ships that can house thousands of Chareidi patients, with each ship holding about 2,500 patients. One ship would be anchored at the port in Ashdod and the second at the port in Haifa and both of them would serve Mehadrin food only.
The Kikar report added said that the Kibbutz Lavi Hotel is expected to open on Monday for families who are ill with the coronavirus and a guest house is expected to open in Bayit Vegan later this week for coronavirus patients as well as the Caesar Hotel for yeshivah bochurim.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
Although creative solutions need to be found to prevent the rest of the family from catching corona, giving them free and fun vacations might not be the best idea. The word among teenagers in my frum, chareidi community has been one of envy that their friends are enjoying themselves in the hotels with their friends. They don’t have to worry about food, they can sit and learn, they get presents, treats, have pool tables, ping pong, and other activities. I have no doubt and have heard the kids talking that this is only encouraging other kids and younger people to make lite of corona, as unsafe as that is, so they can also have a free vacation like their friends. Yes they have their complaints too of course, but I don’t think this in encouraging anyone at all to wear their masks and keep a safe distance. Whole families that are infected, where there is no fear of infecting others in their household are also going, because why not have a change of scenery and not have to worry about cooking and cleaning…. At the end of the day, I do not believe this will help and will cost the Israeli tax payer millions and millions of dollars.