Toronto lifts order barring schools from hosting religious services

• Author: Dan Verbin
• Date: 08 June 2021
• Published date: 08 June 2021
• Publication title: Israel National News (Israel)

The ordinance was enacted on May 6 to close a loophole in existing rules that allowed private and independent schools to still hold religious services, for as long as from morning until mid-afternoon, reported the Canadian Jewish News.

Schools have been closed in Ontario as part of COVID measures, with in-person learning moved online.

The beefed up regulatory change was put in place after talk of children still attending private schools in the heavily Jewish area of Toronto along Bathurst Street.

Three Jewish day schools had continued to operate classes using the loophole of offering religious services. After the schools were reported to the city for violating COIVD ordinances, one of the schools had its funding and partnership ties with UJA Federation of Greater Toronto severed.

The May 6 order was rescinded on June 5, with COVID rates in the city of Toronto decreasing over the previous weeks.

The end of the May 6 regulation was welcomed by Orthodox schools in the area, including the Yeshiva Yesodei...