‘We don’t know what’s happening; every week they change their minds’
Restaurants excited but wary of reopening after lockdown
jerusalem’s restaurant managers are excited, and somewhat skeptical, after the government voted on monday to allow them to open next week for the first time in more than two months.
“this has been a long time coming,” said doni silverstein, owner of urbun cafe, which sells hot buns in mahaneh yehuda market. “the restaurants around here need people to come in. takeout isn’t enough. people have been telling us they are excited to come into the restaurant and sit down.”
starting on sunday, march 7, cafes and restaurants throughout israel will be allowed to welcome “green passport” holders for both indoor and outdoor dining, while those who do not have a green passport will only be allowed to sit outdoors. in addition, hotels will be able to resume full activities for those who are fully vaccinated, and event halls will also be able to resume operating.
the reopening cannot come soon enough for the restaurant industry, which has been one of the sectors more severely battered by the coronavirus pandemic and closures.
since israel’s third lockdown began at the end of december, restaurants have been forbidden from opening and have been allowed only to provide food deliveries, crippling many establishments that were already teetering on the brink of closure.
But after a year of sudden stops and starts dictated by government policies that seem to flip-flop regularly, the promise of yet another reopening plan invites a fair share of skepticism, as well as joy.
“we don’t know what is happening; every week they change their minds,” said jessica elter, manager of the Burgers market chain in jerusalem.
“obviously, we’re very happy,” she said. “we’ve been waiting for this. our customers have been waiting, asking us every day when we’ll open.”
the restaurant will have a lot to do to get