As most Jews completed their final preparations for transforming their homes into “kosher for Passover” environments, the government further tightened the closure that will keep Israelis home for the holiday.
Israeli Government: Everybody Stays Home Until Friday
The number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus rose to 9,248 on Tuesday night, and the death toll reached 66.
At least 149 Israelis were in critical condition, including 117 who were sedated and on respirators.
The Health Ministry has added a new restriction to those implemented earlier in the day: the requirement for all Israelis age seven and up to wear a mask outside the home, beginning on Sunday.
When Jews around the world come to the Seder table to ask The Four Questions this year, asking why this night is different from all other nights, there will be no lack of answers.
Jews searched this year for the final bits of “chametz” – the traditional 10 pieces of bread ritually searched out by the head of household, knowing the tradition of burning the bits the next day was about to change.
This year, rabbis around the world have banned the practice of gathering to burn the chametz; instead, rabbis have advised Jewish families to either burn the bits in a “chametz” toaster, or flush them down a toilet – anything to avoid gathering and risking the further spread of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus.