Home Front Command: Fears disaster in case of panic in synagogues during the holiday

May 16, 2021   

Operation 'Guardian of the Walls': Maj. (res.) Yitzhak Tesler, explaining the Home Front Command to the religious and ultra-Orthodox public, is concerned about the mass gatherings of the ultra-Orthodox public on Shavuot. What are your chances of winning a duplex? And why is your dream closer than ever? What do you say about white chocolate with cookie crumbs? And what about a tasty snack? ""As Shavuot approaches, it is important for parents and children to memorize the life-saving guidelines of the Home Front Command," says Tesler. "From the beginning of the campaign until now, the lives of many civilians have been saved thanks to strict adherence to those guidelines. It is also necessary to remember that the silence between volleys can be misleading. Even if there is no shooting for several hours, the danger still exists and we must not take it lightly.". What are the guidelines for places where there will be a mass gathering of hundreds and thousands of people on the holiday? ""I hope and believe that in the areas where the Home Front Command has instructed not to do this, this will not happen. The instructions are written based on a situation assessment and not just for no reason. Today, on Saturday, a missile landed in Ramat Gan. Bnei Brak is not far away and the biggest fear is of it falling in a crowded place and also of an attempt by many people to litter in a short time. We fear a disaster in such a situation! It is important that everyone knows when entering a crowded place what the correct order of actions should be in the event of an alert - and most importantly, not to push, not to run, and not to create panic.". Are there any special instructions for prayers during the holiday? ""In Manatanya and the south, including Bnei Brak and other concentrations in the south - there is a limit on gatherings of up to 10 people in an open area and up to 100 people in a building - under a concrete ceiling. This guideline also applies to synagogues and study halls. "It is also important to explain to children that, unlike a normal year, when they walk from home to synagogue even in the middle of the night, this year there is a special danger and therefore it is advisable for small children not to walk alone. "It is also important to explain to them that if there is an alarm on the way to the synagogue or house and you are in a built-up area, you should enter a nearby building, go up one floor and wait 10 minutes. Those who are in an open area, or if the alarm has gone off before you have time to reach the building, should lie on the ground and protect your head with your hands. Before arriving at the synagogue, you should familiarize yourself with the protected space and make sure that access to it is clear.". What do you do if there is an alarm while you are in the synagogue? ""Those who are near the protected area should enter it. It is important to remember that since the beginning of the campaign, more than 160 people have been injured who, while trying to rush to the protected area, fell, were injured, and in two cases there were also casualties," the statement said. "If there is no room in the protected area for all the worshippers, they should move as far away from windows as possible, lie on the ground, cover their heads with their hands, and wait 10 minutes. Only then can they continue praying or studying. "Children should be explained that if there was a fall in your area, it is forbidden to go to the place to watch the event. Recently, there was a shooting in Ramat Gan where civilians left the protected area after the first shooting to see the impact. The additional warning caught them outside the protected area, and if a missile had fallen near them, there could have been many casualties. It is also important to stay away from unidentified objects or a rocket lying on the ground. In such a case, curious people should be kept away and the police should be notified.". What do you do if you travel to the North for Shavuot? ""From the Netanya line and north, there are no Home Front Command restrictions, but there are Corona restrictions on gatherings, in accordance with the rules of the Ministry of Health. In any case, it is recommended to avoid gatherings and reduce your stay in open areas to the minimum required. "It is advisable to know in advance the time of entry into the protected area in the area where you will be during Shavuot. You can find out this information at the Home Front Command hotline at 104 (extension 6), as well as on the national emergency portal and the Home Front Command app. "If there is an alert while driving a vehicle, it is important to make sure to get out of the vehicle, because staying inside it endangers your life. If there is no nearby structure that you can enter, you should move away from the vehicle to the side of the road and lie on the ground. It is important to remember: when a rocket hits the ground, the blast wave endangers those sitting or standing by being hit by shrapnel.". What do those who travel for Shavuot by public transportation do? On an intercity bus, the driver will stop on the side of the road, open the doors, and passengers must bend below the window line and protect their heads with their hands. On a train - the driver will slow the train to 30 km/h for 10 minutes. Passengers must bend below the window line. On a city bus - the driver will stop on the side of the road and open the doors so that passengers can enter a nearby building. If it is not possible to reach the building in the time available, you must bend below the window line and protect your heads with your hands. Home Front Command guidelines save lives on Shabbat and holidays: • Make sure where the protected space is in the synagogue where you pray. • Leave the radio on a silent wave during Shabbat and the holiday (live voice and level voice will act as a silent wave) • Emphasize to the children, not to go far from the synagogue during Shavuot night and teach them where the nearest protected space is, which they should enter immediately upon hearing the alarm. • Follow the Home Front Command's gathering guidelines according to your area. Please note! It is preferable to stay inside a building and not in the open. • In the event of being in an open area during the alarm: enter a nearby building and go up one floor in the stairwell. • If there is no nearby building, lie down on the ground and protect yourself with your hands on your head. • Wait 10 minutes! Photo: Miriam Elster, Flash 90