The Gur hasidic community has instructed thousands of its yeshiva students to refrain from the usual Purim celebrations this year.
In a recording circulated Monday morning ahead of the holiday, it was announced that the yeshivas will not organize any activities, and each student will celebrate Purim at his own home.
The guidelines include a ban on dancing in the streets, a ban on traveling to festive meals in a different city, and an instruction not to organize independent prayer minyanim, but to pray only in the usual synagogues. Additionally, the students were asked to avoid revelry in the streets.
However, the yeshivas have permitted students to visit the yeshiva staff, but only in small groups. Purim meals are also allowed to be held only in small groups.
As for the traditional reading of Scroll of Esther by the Gerrer Rebbe, it will likely be held on a much smaller scale this year, unlike in previous years when all the followers attended. For now, the reading is expected to take place as usual in the Beit Midrash, but this may change.