| While much of the world remains under some form of coronavirus lockdown, vaccinated Israelis are going to sporting events and concerts, and rescheduling weddings put off during the long months of the pandemic. Stores, museums and schools are all open. But make no mistake: Things have not returned to normal, even though more than half of the population has been fully immunized. A tangle of complicated restrictions remains in force. "We need to remember that the pandemic is still here," public health chief Sharon Alroy-Preis said in an interview with the Ynet website. "We are in a lull … but we are still in the middle of the battle despite being at a place that has allowed us to open up, which is very significant and a victory for Israel."  Audience members dance at an Ivry Lider concert in Tel Aviv. Photographer: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg The Health Ministry's website breaks down regulations into 17 categories that include "gatherings," which are distinct from "events" such as weddings. Other categories include places of worship, workplaces, hotels, restaurants, schools, gyms and more. Attendance at events such as soccer games and concerts is limited, although restrictions on outdoor crowds are loosening. Because children under 16 can't be vaccinated, schools are reopening slowly, with different rules for different grades. Only fully vaccinated Israelis or people who have recently tested negative for Covid-19 can enter certain places of entertainment, shopping or leisure (though enforcement is admittedly spotty). And the list goes on. Israel's relatively advantageous situation is due in part to its early acquisition of the Pfizer vaccine and a centralized, digitized health system that got shots into people's arms quickly. Its cautiousness may in part reflect lessons learned from a disastrously hasty exit from the first of the country's three lockdowns. Officials are now pondering whether to vaccinate children from the age of 12 and when to lift the requirement to wear masks outside. "There are still hundreds of newly infected a day, and 37% of the population isn't vaccinated, so we need to continue to behave with caution," Alroy-Preis said.—Gwen Ackerman | 
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