The Health Ministry authorized the opening of state-regulated kindergartens starting Sunday after an agreement was reached overnight, multiple media sources reported.
According to the agreement, the institutions will open Sunday through Friday, with up to 17 children in a single class. At-risk children will require permits from the Welfare Ministry in order to be accepted to the kindergartens.
According to the Heath Ministry, private institutions will open under the terms reached for state-supervised kindergartens.
The Teachers Union issued a statement calling on teachers to volunteer on Lag Ba'omer as Israel banned all unlicensed bonfires while lifting the coronavirus lockdown.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Head of Education Hagit Moshe and Municipal Workers Union head Eyal Levy said on Firday they are working on making it possible for kindergartens to open up on Tuesday.
Jerusalem is home to 630 preschools, employing teachers and municipal class aides. The municipality said it had reached an agreement with the kindergarten workers, allowing teachers to decide whether to open the institutions and volunteer on Tuesday as per the request of the union.
"Following the coronavirus crisis, it is logical to open all preschools as usual on Tuesday, as the Lag Ba'omer bonfires are canceled," Lion said. "Following the statement by the Teachers Union, we came on board immediately, agreeing to pay the salaries of the municipal aides."
Lion added that "these are difficult days that require creativity to get through them. I promise the parents that we will do all in our power, always, to assist and relieve."
Parents Union head Eric Kaplan thanked Lion for the municipality's decision, saying it is an "educational and economic measure that will significantly help the kids and their parents. There is no doubt there is someone to count on in the city council."
He added that he wishes "further cooperation for the sake of the city's children and their parents. I come again and call upon the parents to send their kids to the city's open institutions."Earlier on Friday, the Caretakers Union released a statement claiming that union members did not receive grants they were promised, thus daycare centers would not re-open on Sunday. However, Friday evening the Finance Ministry decided that it would fund the daycare centers in exchange for operating them in smaller groups. This means that parents will only have to pay for the days their children are at the center, while the ministry covers the day-to-day costs of activities.The Private Daycare Union (PDU) and the Caretakers Union signed an agreement with the ministry, but on Friday night the PDU said its members would not open on Sunday. PDU, which claims to represent 250 daycare centers, claimed that the agreement was terrible and was signed haphazardly, Ynet reported. The union also said it was hurtful to the children, the parents and the daycare owners, and would not allow for proper care of the children.