A Chasidic rabbi from Israel was allowed to fly in and out of London without quarantining to attend a shivah of a prominent member of the Stamford Hill  community. 

The Machnovka Rebbe, Rabbi Yehoshua Rokeach was initially stopped at Heathrow Airport by immigration authorities last Thursday. 

But Rabbi Hershi Vogel, Heathrow’s Jewish chaplain, who was called to the airport by the bereaved’s family, said that that after he and a non-Jewish chaplaincy colleague had explained the purpose of the visit, the Rebbe was permitted to go to the shivah house before returning in the evening. 

A Home Office spokesman said, “We do not routinely comment on individual cases. All people coming from a country which is not exempt must self-isolate for 14 days.” Travellers from Israel would normally be required to self-isolate.  

Some categories of workers may be exempted from the requirements which include diplomats, commuters, seasonal agricultural workers, elite sports people and film and TV crew.  

A photo, taken at the shivah house that emerged on social media, showed a group of more than 20 youth and men gathered closely together. Local sources said they were mostly the children, grandchildren and greatchildren of the bereaved man.