Last Updated on July 19, 2021

The next phase in lifting pandemic restrictions.  Opening Israel’s economy.

The proposed plan for the next few weeks…

• Until May 5th
  • All 1st – 3rd graders and 11th and 12th graders to return to school by May 5th
  • Opening academic institutions
  • Opening malls, zimmerim, nature reserves and parks
• Until May 10th
  • Opening of all kindergartens
• Until May 17th
  • Back to school for Grade 4, Grade 5 and Grade 6
  • Opening hotels, gyms, public pools, professional sport, markets, museums, cultural centers and extra-mural activities
• Until May 31st
  • Back to school for 7th – 10th graders
  • Opening event halls, restaurants, pubs, theaters and cinemas
• Until June 14th
  • Re-opening of the entire economy

30.04.20 Plan to open schools on Sunday…

• The plan to re-open school system is expected to be finalized on Friday.  The plan, so far, looks like this:
• Kindergartens, Grade 1 – Grade 3 to return to school on Sunday (3 days a week)
• School day: from 8am – 1pm
• Up to 15 children in a group
• Grades 4 – 10 continue with remote learning
• 11th and 12th Grade – preparation for bagrut matric exams in small groups
• Special ed – now every day

26.04.20 From today….

• All street shopping to open – chain stores protest and remain closed
• Hairdressers and beauty salons, clothing also open
• Outdoor shopping centers open but malls to remain closed
• One-on-one with therapists allowed
• Cafes and restaurants remain closed except for those offering self-pick up for take-aways
• Gyms and fitness centers remain closed
• Function halls and cultural centers remain closed
• 200NIS fine for ages 7 and upwards for not adhering to face-mask regulation
• Outings from home for non-shopping purposes up to 100m and up to 500m for sport

24.04.20

Friday morning, members of the cabinet are engaged in a meeting and expected to approve further steps to get the economy back on track which include:

• Food Industry:  Coffee shops and restaurants to open for take-away service only
• Shopping malls, beauty salons and gyms to remain closed.  Also open-air markets.
• Almost all street-shops are expected to open including hairdressers, clothing and toys under the compliance of health directives.
• Back to school:
  • Target date: May 3rd, after Yom HaAtzmaut
  • Kindergartens, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3
  • Study groups of 15 students
  • Study groups to attend school on certain assigned days
  • Extra educational staff to assist the study groups
  • At-risk youth will return to their framework
  • Remote learning for other grades to continue

19.04.20 Israel goes back to work

• Opening up the economy from today – exit strategy directives.
  • Returning office workers to a 30 percent capacity, or up to 10 people whichever is higher, while observing Ministry of Health guidelines
  • If an employee contracts the virus at a workplace, the workplace will be shut down until a Health Ministry investigation takes place.
  • Age 67 and upwards to continue to work from home
  • Partial opening of stores – optical, hardware, housewares, electrical, office supplies, bookstores and computer stores according to very specific guidelines
  • Malls to remain CLOSED at this stage. Also closed: markets, hair and beauty salons, jewelry, clothing, shoes and toy stores, restaurants and cafes.
  • Schools and kindergartens remain closed
  • Special education: up to 3 children per group
  • Childcare: 3 families per caregiver at home
  • Prayer services outside only – up to 19 people, wearing masks and observing the 2m social distancing directive.
  • Weddings and circumcisions with up to 10 people in an open area and observing the 2m social distancing directive.
  • Ritual baths (mikveh) re-open for men with no more than 3 people in the complex
  • Sports activities – up to 500m from home of no more than the same 2 people. (Suggestion: run or walk next to your partner, not behind to prevent spread of body mist)
  • Beaches, parks, playgrounds and municipal sports areas remain closed.
  • Increased public transport
• Remember
  • Wear a mask in public places or face a 200NIS fine
  • Maintain 2m social distancing
  • Regular hand washing

16.04.20 Preliminary plan

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic a preliminary plan to open Israel’s economy has been set out and Prime Minister – Benjamin Netanyahu, has accepted the principals for the exit strategy.  The final exit strategy is expected to be voted on by the cabinet and announced on Saturday night, April 18, 2020.

This is the plan which is expected to be phased in over the next few weeks:

• Selected industries and services will open with an increase of the work force from 15% – 30%
• Every work place will have to comply to the rules and standard that are to be set out
• Trade and commerce to open up gradually according to strict guidelines for each sector
• Shopping malls, personal services (involving close contact) and salons will NOT reopen. Still no agreement on the status of stand-alone stores.
• More freedom of movement – from 100m – 500m from home
• Sporting activities with a maximum of 2 participants
• Special education to resume in a limited individual and conservative manner
• Kindergartens and schools – not yet

So, are you going back to work Sunday morning?  There is no clear answer yet, we’ll all just have to wait and see.