In the outer Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot, there has long been a debate about whether the neighborhood is halachicly part of Jerusalem, with Purim celebrated on the 15th, on Shushan Purim, or whether it’s halachicly separate from Jerusalem, with Purim celebrated on the 14th. Ashkenazim in Ramot celebrate Purim on the 15th, per the p’sakim of HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, z’tl, and HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, a p’sak later upheld by HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky when the debate arose in more recent times.

Israel’s reproduction number continued to rise, standing at 0.9 on Wednesday, raising concerns for health officials despite the continued decrease in daily virus cases and number of seriously ill patients. Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Wednesday morning that despite the success of Israel’s vaccination program, with about 4.5 million Israelis vaccinated with at least the first dose, not enough of the population has been vaccinated for Purim to be celebrated without any restraints. “In the Megillah, Am Yisrael, in an act of solidarity, fasted for Esther for three days,” Edelstein stated. “We don’t need three days of fasting now – just adhere to regulations.

Senior Israeli and Saudi officials held several discussions by phone in recent weeks regarding the Biden administration’s plan to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, Kan News reported on Tuesday. The discussions also focused on Saudi Arabia’s concerns about the Biden administration’s focus on human rights. Even before Biden entered office, he stressed that he “will make [the Saudis] the pariahs that they are.” According to an Axios report on Tuesday, Biden is planning on calling Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Wednesday ahead of the release of a likely damaging intelligence report about the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The call will be Biden’s first contact as president with Salman.

A new coronavirus variant that has some similarities to the South African and Brazilian variants is on the rise in New York City, researchers stated on Wednesday, according to a Reuters report. The new variant, known as B.1.526, was first identified in New York in November. By mid-February, it was behind 12% of new cases, according to researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The researchers said that when performing an analysis of databases, they identified only a small amount of the South African and Brazilian variants. “Instead we found high numbers of this home-grown lineage,” said Dr. Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that Purim this year is going to be very different than usual. Normally, it’s tough to deal with the shortened day when Purim falls out on a Friday, but things are already a far cry from the status quo this year. The usual groups of dancing yeshiva boys in colorful costumes won’t be going door to door spreading simcha as they collect money for the institutions of higher learning in most communities. Large Purim mesibas, some of which have a history going back multiple decades have been canceled and the simple act of giving mishloach manos has become a complicated matter for those who are still socially isolated because of COVID. The contrast between this Purim and last couldn’t be more pronounced.

The following is a brief overview of some of the halachos and customs of Purim Meshulash, drawing on several sources. As is well-known, Purim is celebrated in Jerusalem (and other cities that were walled at the time of Yehoshua), a day later than other cities, on the fifteenth of Adar – Shushan Purim. This year, there will be a Purim Meshulash, as the fifteenth of Adar falls out on Shabbos. Residents of walled cities will fulfill the mitzvos of Purim over a three-day period: Kriyas Megillah and Matanos L’Evyonim are fulfilled on the 14th, like in unwalled cities. On Shabbos, Al HaNissim [and additions to Kriyas HaTorah] are said, and on Sunday, shalach manos are given out and the seudah is held.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu promised Israelis on Tuesday that there will be no shortage of Pfizer vaccines following reports on Monday that the supply of Pfizer vaccines is dwindling and clinics have been told to prioritize remaining doses for those who already received their first doses. “I have some important news,” the prime minister said. “I spoke last night with my friend, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, and we agreed that there would be a continuous supply of Pfizer vaccines without any shortage,” Netanyahu said. “No shortage, no interruption, no break. Go get vaccinated.” “We’re also receiving more and more vaccines from Moderna. Go get vaccinated.” About 4.5 million Israelis have received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and over 3 million have received both doses.

*OUTRAGE ON DELTA FLIGHT AFTER JEWISH FAMILY IS KICKED OFF-* A group of Hasidic men were forced to deplane a Delta flight from Miami International Airport to LaGuardia, Wednesday night. Initial reports say that the incident unfolded after an elderly Chassidish man took off his mask, allegedly for a brief moment to eat something. Video shows the apparent son, saying that his father has heart issues, and that he has trouble breathing, “So he took off his mask for a minute,” the video shows. Moments before departure from Miami, the flight crew instructed all passengers to depart from the aircraft.

A yeshivah student in Yitzhar fended off an Arab terrorist armed with a knife who attempted to stab him in the Shomron on Wednesday morning. Binyamin Cohen was waiting at a hitchhiking post at the Yitzhar junction near the town of Yitzhar when the terrorist approached him wielding a knife. Cohen successfully fought him off by kicking and punching him [while holding his kippah in one hand], and then escaped around a car that had approached the area. The terrorist fled the scene toward a nearby Arab village. IDF forces launched a manhunt for the terrorist, closing off all the entrances to Palestinian villages in the area. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The Jerusalem court overseeing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial has delayed the opening of the dramatic evidentiary stage until after March 23 elections. The three-judge panel issued a statement late Monday saying the proceedings, which have been repeatedly delayed due to legal wrangling and coronavirus restrictions, would begin on April 5 and take place three days a week. Netanyahu had pushed to delay the witness stage of the trial until after the election, saying that allowing the testimonies before then would amount to “interference” in the political process. A number of former aides have agreed to testify against him as prosecution witnesses. Netanyahu has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases.