The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created a new reality that requires social distancing and has brought the shutdown of tourism.

In Israel, several heritage and archeological sites teamed up to create a unique virtual tour for American school kids. The tours were carried out on Lag Ba’Omer, a holiday in all Jewish communities around the world.

Thousands of students who study at the Consortium of Jewish day Schools participated in 12 live broadcasted virtual tours that were held simultaneously at ancient Shiloh, Hebron, the ancient Talmudic village of Sussya and the Patriarchs Path in Gush Etzion.

The guides and site teams prepared for the tours and held rehearsals to ensure the students would enjoy a spectacular tour from their homes.

The broadcasters held three rounds to facilitate the number of students who participated in the tours. A new tour began every half-hour, giving thousands of students the opportunity to enjoy the tours.

Yesha Council CEO Yigal Dilmoni explained that “this unique project is a first of its kind, and created to show our solidarity with the Jewish communities in the diaspora. We stand with our brothers and sisters around the world and pray that they shall all keep healthy and safe.”

“I am so glad we have the ability to share the stories of this beautiful region with the world. We look forward to conducting similar projects in the future, as we deeply believe in building bridges between fellow communities and deepening our connections to our heritage,” he added.

Rabbi Elchanan Poupko, a teacher in Park East Day School in Manhattan and president of EITAN, the American Israeli Jewish Network, wished to thank everyone who took part in the project and said that “for children stuck at home in quarantine for now more than two months it means the world to be able to get such a break from routine and get a live virtual tour of places they have learned so much about.”

“We are forever thankful to Yesha Council for stepping up to the plate, and as people in Israel start going back to normal, reaching out to us to make sure there are with us in our difficult time,” he said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disembarked his airplane after landing in Ben Gurion airport in Israel on Wednesday morning, ahead of his meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders later in the day in Jerusalem.

Pompeo will also meet with Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister-to-be Gabby Ashkenazi.

A statement by the state Department on Friday said that he is in Israel to “discuss US and Israeli efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as regional security issues related to Iran’s malign influence.”

This is Pompeo’s first overseas trip since March. He will be in Israel for less than a day.

In the meantime, a US Embassy Spokesperson announced Wednesday morning that US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman will not be attending the meetings.

Friedman “is experiencing mild upper-respiratory symptoms. He was tested for COVID-19 and the result was negative. Nevertheless, in an abundance of caution, State Department medical staff have recommended that Ambassador Friedman not be in proximity with Secretary Pompeo,” the statement said.

Gilad Erdan will be Israel’s next ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday evening.

Erdan, who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for the Likud party and the Minister of Public Security, will replace Danny Danon, and after the elections in the US, will replace Israel’s ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer as well.

“I am proud and moved by the privilege of struggling for the justice of our cause in the international arena and defending Israel in the face of the expected challenges in the coming years,” Erdan stated.

Netanyahu “thanked Minister Erdan and said he looks forward to their continued cooperation on important missions for the State of Israel in the years ahead.”

Erdan will continue serving as a government minister until his appointment as ambassador is approved by the government.

Erdan’s appointment was made as part of the establishment of the Netanyahu-Benny Gantz government, which is expected to be sworn in on Thursday.

Erdan could be replaced after a year and a half by someone appointed by Gantz, as delineated in the coalition agreement. He may return to Israel to serve as foreign minister.

The IDF early Monday morning demolished the home of a terrorist who was involved in the murder of 17-year old Rina Shnerb.

Rina was on a hike on a Friday in August 2019 with her father Eitan and brother Dvir when a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) cell set off a bomb near the Danny Spring they were walking to, killing her and wounding her father and brother.

The IDF stated that it destroyed the home of Qassem Shibli in Kfar Qubar.

Homes of other cell members were destroyed in March.

The demolitions were carried out after the terrorists’ families filed petitions with the High Court of Justice and after another hearing was held on the issue. Their petitions were denied.

During the demolition operations, dozens of Arab rioters violently attacked the IDF forces with rocks and firebombs. The forces responded with crowd control means.

No Israelis were harmed in the incident.

The demolitions of terrorists’ homes are meant to serve as deterrence for potential terrorists plotting future attacks.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Israel on Wednesday and will meet with the country’s leadership.

A statement by the state Department on Friday said that he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Speaker of the Knesset Benny Gantz in Jerusalem to “discuss US and Israeli efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as regional security issues related to Iran’s malign influence.”

The US’ “commitment to Israel has never been stronger than under President Trump’s leadership,” spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

The US and Israel “will face threats to the security and prosperity of our peoples together. In challenging times, we stand by our friends, and our friends stand by us,” she added.

This is Pompeo’s first overseas trip since March. He will be in Israel for less than a day.

Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said in a press briefing on Friday that the US and Israel “have much to learn from each other as we address current threats, whether those threats stem from a global pandemic or from Iran’s malign regional influence.”

He declined to comment when asked about Israel’s plans to declare sovereignty in parts of Judea and Samaria in the coming months, as delineated by the US’ Deal of the Century peace plan.