Gymnasia Rehavia Holds Graduation Party Despite Coronavirus Restrictions

While Israel is facing another wave of the coronavirus, about 100 young people, students and graduates of the Gymnasia Rehavia in Yerushalayim, held a graduation event Sunday evening in contrast to the restrictions, with many of them reportedly not wearing protective masks, not keeping social distance, and of course against the rules prohibiting large gatherings, Army Radio reported.

A neighborhood resident was upset by the event and said: “There is a party there. I saw at least 100 students, most of them without masks. They are going to infect each other. I called the police.”

Although a number of neighbors called police, they did not arrive at the event.

About three months ago, three students from the school became infected with the coronavirus. Accordingly, it was then decided in the municipality and the Education Ministry that the school should return to the format of distance learning. But this was perhaps the starting point of the second wave in Israel: at least 10% of the school’s students and teachers became infected, and the school closed after all students and teachers went into isolation.

In all, more than 220 people related to the school were infected, including 140 students.

The Yerushalayim Municipality denied being aware of the graduation party. “The incident took place without the approval or knowledge of the municipality,” it said.