People wear protective face masks as they shop at a market, amid Israel’s second-wave coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, in Jerusalem, Oct. 5, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ammar Awad.

JNS.org – Israel’s Coronavirus Cabinet decided on Monday to lift certain restrictions on the public, as part of a gradual reopening of the economy following weeks of full and partial lockdowns.

The Cabinet ruled that students in the 5th and 6th grades will return to school on Nov. 24, and those in grades 11 and 12 on Dec. 1, Ynet reported.

According to the report, ministers also revealed a pilot program to reopen large stores and one shopping mall — in areas with low COVID-19 infection rates — with others to follow if morbidity doesn’t increase.

In addition, hotels in Eilat and the Dead Sea will reopen under certain health conditions.

“Now we stand at around 650 new cases daily,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Cabinet. “Once it starts rising, we will start to close [down] again.”