Published March 16, 2021 3:05 PM IST
This morning, the Igud, headed by the indefatigable Rabbi Nechemya Malinowitz, received word from Interior Ministry officials regarding the return of students after Pesach. If there is no change, it appears that student visa holders who have been studying in Israel over the past year will be allowed to return to Israel after Pesach if they have recovered from Covid or have been vaccinated. This refers only to those who recovered or were vaccinated in Israel and have proper documentation as such. Once again, this is an initial ruling and still is subject to change, if circumstances change.
A serious complication relates to families who are student visa holders. If a family has children who are not recovered/ vaccinated, as of now, those family members will not be allowed to return to Israel. This will present a challenging situation, in which students who are studying in Israel for just a year will be permitted to enter Israel, while families who are residents of Israel may be prevented from entering. We are currently examining this situation and efforts are being made to rectify it. Additionally, there have been continuing difficulties and complications for foreigners trying to obtain proper documentation of their recovery/ vaccination.
A further complication relates to the availability of flights. As of now, Israel is limiting the amount of passengers allowed to travel into Israel. This, in turn, has caused airlines to significantly reduce their flight schedules. It is not at all clear that there will be flights available for all those seeking to travel.
We reiterate that this information is accurate as of today. As has been seen in the past, everything is subject to change.
