COVID-19 Purim: Tel Aviv Great Synagogue to livestream Megillah reading

The livestream will begin Thursday evening at 6:45 p.m.

A hand-written scroll of the Book of Esther (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
A hand-written scroll of the Book of Esther
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
 Those in quarantine due to the coronavirus won't need to miss out on megillah reading on Purim, with the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv running a livestream of reading of Megillat Esther.
The livestream will begin Thursday evening at 6:45 p.m.
Those with a kosher megillah are encouraged to follow along with the reading.
The reading will be streamed live on YouTube.
Those not in quarantine and holding a green passport can also attend a reading outside the synagogue itself, with the synagogue reminding that the reading is only for those in isolation, confirmed coronavirus patients and those in high-risk groups. 
This is not the first time the synagogue has put together a livestreamed reading. In 2020, the synagogue streamed its reading over its Facebook page amid fears of the virus spreading throughout Israel.
"Please note that this halachic solution is only for those who do not have kosher megillah and or do not know how to read from it," the synagogue's gabbi, Yosef Rabin, stated ahead of the 2020 reading, adding that those who are healthy can only fulfil the obligation by hearing it in person.
"Furthermore, those hearing the Megillah through the Internet cannot fulfil their obligation via playback or a pre-recording, but only in real-time."
Purim 2020 had marked the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic's outbreak throughout the country.

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Megillah reading is one of the most important mitzvot of Purim, alongside mishloah manot, which are gifts of food given to friends, and matanot leevyonim, which is charity.