Senior Chabad Rabbi Yitzhak Yehuda Yaroslavsky has issued a call to ban worshippers who have not been vaccinated against COVID from praying inside synagogues.

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In an open letter published Tuesday, Yaroslavsky wrote, "To protect your lives, only those who have been vaccinated or have proof that they have recovered [from COVID] should be allowed into synagogues."

Yaroslavsky spared no words for people who spread fake news about the virus.

"They are increasing bloodshed in Israel. They will have to answer for it on Judgment Day," he wrote.

"The need to be vaccinated is not a choice, it is an obligation according to the Torah, and must not be out-witted by various explanations that have no grounding in reality," Yaroslavsky exhorted the Chabad faithful.

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Diaspora and Israeli organizations and communities representing millions of Jews around the world will participate on Saturday in a mass Kaddish (Jewish mourners' prayer) and say a specially designed azkara (memorial prayer) for Jews buried in inaccessible Arab countries across the Middle East and North Africa.

More than 100 organizations and communities have signed up thus far for the Kaddish Initiative, slated for Nov. 28, the date of the Shabbat closest to Nov. 30, which Israel in 2014 designated the Day to Commemorate the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from Arab Countries and Iran. Since then, it has been marked by Jewish communities around the world.

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The Kaddish Initiative was launched in 2018 by Iraqi-Jewish Canadian Sass Peress. According to British philanthropist David Dangoor, during the project's first year, 12 communities participated; by the next year, participation had grown to 50.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year the prayers will be recited mainly online.

Groups already registered for the event include the Israeli umbrella organization for Jews from Arab countries, representing millions of people in the Jewish state; Maccabi World Union, the Jewish organization with the largest active global membership; the European Jewish Congress, the organization representing all Jewish communities in Europe; the American Zionist Movement, representing dozens of Zionist organizations across North America; and the umbrella organizations for US, British, Canadian and Australian Jewry.

More than 11,000 rabbis and community leaders from every continent and all strains of Judaism and ethnic origin have downloaded the azkara prayer from the Kaddish Initiative website.

The Kaddish and azkara prayers are "far more" than just a religious undertaking, Dangoor explained in an oped he published on Nov. 15.

"It is about creating awareness of the history and plight of our people still suffering because of the ramifications resulting from the exodus of Jews from Arab countries in the 20th century. Whole communities of almost 1 million Jews, living in these areas for millennia, were emptied within a few short decades, with very little left of their presence or existence. … [T]here needs to be a greater sense of awareness of the history, culture and tradition of these communities," he wrote.

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As the number of new coronavirus cases in Israel's Arab sector continues to mushroom, more officials are criticizing the decision to continue to allow public prayer on the Temple Mount every Friday, which is attended by some 12,000 faithful.

The Muslim Waqf, which is charged with enforcing Israel's public health regulations, does make sure that worshippers on the Temple Mount wear masks and maintain social distancing. The prayers themselves are held in the open air.

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However, this past Friday, the weekly prayers turned into a mass demonstration against France and French President Emmanuel Macron, part of a backlash throughout most of the Muslim world against the government taking a stance in favor of upholding free speech and allowing the republication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Worshippers at the Temple Mount crowded together, against the Health Ministry instructions, and police forces were forced to disperse the gathering. Three people were arrested for allegedly disturbing the peace.

Both the Arab leadership in Israel and the Health Ministry are worried about the spread of coronavirus in that sector. Outgoing coronavirus chief Professor Ronni Gamzu announced that the next two weeks would be devoted almost entirely to stopping the spread of the virus in Arab communities.

"We will devote most of our resources this coming week to the Arab sector. Dozens of coronavirus testing stations will open in Arab communities, and residents will not have to provide a doctor's referral or any payment. We want everyone in the Arab sector to be tested," Gamzu said.

Ayman Saif, the official who oversees the government's fight against coronavirus in the Arab sector, confirmed that wedding season had led to a spike in coronavirus cases among Israel's Arab population.

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The decision comes less than a month before the holiday season in Israel that starts with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, celebrated this year from September 18 to 20. Rosh Hashanah is closely followed by several other holidays – including Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – marked by intensive prayer services.

Israeli health officials say that crowded synagogues pose a significant risk of promoting the transmission of coronavirus.

"The right to prayer and worship is fundamental, and we'll do everything within our powers to allow tens of thousands of worshipers to observe the holiday commandments – even under the pandemic restrictions," Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai said.

"We are doing everything so that the spirit of Judaism be in harmony with the city – so that the spirit of brotherhood, peace, and love prevails."

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This article was originally published by i24NEWS.

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The story of Sgt. Nachshon Wachsman is imprinted on the nation's collective memory after the heroic rescue attempt by Sayeret Matkal soldiers on Oct. 14, 1994.

Under direct orders from then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the elite fighters set out to rescue Wachsman from the home in the village of Bir Nabala where he was being held. But the terrorists killed Wachsman before he could be extracted, and in the gunfight that ensued Capt. Nir Poraz was also killed.

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"Time doesn't help. I've become weaker, and sick. It's very hard to deal with it," says Yehuda.

Despite the difficulty, Yehuda remains optimistic and says that on Nov. 7, a memorial service for his son (according to the Hebrew calendar date of his death) is planned that will include soldiers from the Sayeret Matkal and from the Orev Unit in the Golani Brigade, where Nachshon served.

"I'm still in touch with them, and with Nir Poraz's sisters," Yehuda says.

"Nachshon was 19, a symbol of innocence. He wanted to defend Israel, the people of Israel, and the Torah of Israel, with our ancient traditions and met his death at the hands of a Hamas terrorist cell. He took things as they were like he was told to. He served in Lebanon for six months, against Hezbollah, and did the best work he could."

Yehuda does not bear a grudge for what happened in the failed rescue attempt.

"I'm not angry. It's been 25 years and most of the people involved in the [rescue] operation aren't alive anymore. Is there a reason to be angry at the dead? Aside from that, I'm sure that they wanted the best, and what happened, happened."

Yehuda connects that same dark week when hundreds of thousands were praying for Nachshon's safe return, to the current polarization in Israeli society and the unstable political situation, calling for an immediate end to political fighting.

"While Nachshon was abducted, a lot of people of all ethnicities came to the Western Wall – religious and secular – to pray he would be saved. There was great unity among the people. That's what I would like our leaders to learn from – that we have to come together to form a government soon, and remember the time of Nachshon's abduction."

Yehuda points out that Nachshon was a captive and the Sayeret Matkal set out to rescue him, "without asking if he voted for the National Religious Party or anyone else. They were ready to sacrifice their lives to save an Israeli soldier, and it didn't matter where he was from or where he was aligned. Somehow, 25 years after that phenomenon of responsibility for one another and sacrifice … has become weaker. We are being separated, which is a big danger to our existence in Israel."

Q: Are you afraid that in the future, soldiers won't want to go on missions to rescue abducted soldiers?

"That is a concern, given what we're seeing in politics," Yehuda says.

"We're always in a war, and we don't have the luxury of such big [internal] divisions. Everyone needs to compromise so we can unite and strengthen the people who make decisions. We are surrounded by very strong enemies. They have missiles pointed at us, and Iran wants to wipe us off the map. At a time like this, we should split? Nachshon symbolized innocence."

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