By Canadian Press

Hasidic Jews in court to challenge Quebec’s COVID-19 curfew in COVID red zones

Mar 12, 2021 | 12:25 PM

MONTREAL — The Quebec Council of Hasidic Jews is heading to court to challenge the province’s COVID-19 curfew, which it says will impede religious rights after daylight time comes into effect Sunday.

The council says in a statement today it filed an injunction request after the Quebec government did not respond to requests to modify the health measure to meet religious requirements.

It says that because Orthodox Jews must offer their evening prayers after dark, the clock change will mean the faithful will leave their places of worship after the 8 p.m. curfew takes effect in red zones including the Montreal region.

The council’s vice-president, Max Lieberman, says a lack of flexibility from the province means that people will be forced to choose between practising their religion or respecting the curfew.

Quebec is the only province with a nighttime curfew in place as part of its COVID-19 measures.

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In Quebec’s high alert COVID-19 red zones, the curfew requires people to be indoors between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. with few exceptions. That curfew begins at 9:30 p.m. in other parts of the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2021.

The Canadian Press