Sort of Locked-down Jerusalem, Corona COVID Life

Yesterday I escaped to Jerusalem for a few hours. To be honest, it's rather risky. For me, my age makes me one of those who should be avoiding people. And in terms of corona COVID statistics, Shiloh is much, much greener/safer than Israel's Capital Jerusalem. But I'd been home for over a month and a half. To say I was going stir crazy is no exaggeration. As "jails" go, Shiloh may be rather benevolent and friendly, but waking outside, zooming with friends and family, facebook, whatsapp etc just aren't enough. 

Following are photos, some with captions of sorts to illustrate what I found in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Body language says it all. 

No eye contact. People are masked in more ways than one. No unnecessary touching of anything. It's like we're all within our personal portable jails, even when on the lightrail.

Depending on where you're looking, life looks almost normal, but for after 10am too many stores are totally shuttered.

With typical Israeli ingenuity, these fabric and notion stores are trying to sell their wares. Those who know how to sew are the lucky ones, because clothing stores were boarded up. 

Shopping for fabric required explaining to the sales staff what you wanted, choosing and then "ordering" for immediate "delivery." I discovered that many storeowners adopted this method of sales, as if they were pizza or felafel places.

Very lonely Jerusalem street with most stores totally shut until the government allows them to open.

Even some shoe stores have adopted the immediate order/delivery system, though I presume they permit people to try on their shoes first.

I just can't imagine buying shoes I haven't tried on. My feet and body are just too unique and delicate to trust online shoe shopping.

I almost bought a few packs of these gorgeous masks, but then I ran into a good friend who told me that she bought the same ones much more cheaply in Rami Levi. I must find someone to buy me some pretty colored masks there.

One thing for sure, disposable masks have dropped dramatically in price.

Prices have dropped, but the stores are locked. I guess you can order online, but I like to see and touch items first. That's how I judge quality.

Just in case those trying to get into the main post office have no idea of what two meters, aka social distancing, means, there are little boxes on the sidewalk to show you where to stand. 

People were very obedient. It's taking awhile, but Israelis are beginning to accept the concept of physical distancing when downtown doing errands.

After filling my backpack with Israeli craft beer, Shapiro's to be exact, I was overjoyed to discover that HOBBY was "open." Of course "open" meant that customers couldn't enter.

I stuck my head and phone in as far as I could to see the colors of the jersey yarn HOBBY was selling. Then the salesgirl had to bring them to me. 

Not all of them looked the same up close, but I had no time to have her run back and forth the way I would have chosen. Also there were people lined up waiting to "shop." I'm glad to have a new stock of jersey yarn to crochet more bags.

In all honesty, I think that these craft, sewing notions and fabric stores should be open the public just like pharmacies are. For many of us crafts are valuable medical tools, occupational therapy. And this is a great time to teach children these wonderful arts and crafts instead of their just using computer apps to make "works of art."

Gd willing corona COVID will disappear quickly, and everyone should be healthy and healed. Let this lockdown nightmare be quickly over. 

I'm glad to have accomplished a lot in my Jerusalem escape. And in case you're wondering, I ate nothing while there, but I walked a lot.

Forget "Herd Immunity," "Swedish Model," It's Evil

Israelis who don't like the idea of wearing a mask and keeping "social distance" to avoid contracting or spreading coronavirus/COVID tout the "Herd Immunity," "Swedish Model." Unfortunately they're ignoring the truth. It's evil.  "Herd Immunity," "Swedish Model" is just a benign sounding euphemism for Survival of the Fittest, or killing off the weak.

They see the financial ramification of this policy is "good," because it eliminates the physically weaker members of society. The old and weak are the people who will get sick and die much earlier. 

The higher the average age in a country the more vulnerable its financial stability. They have fewer young productive earners supporting the needs of the elderly and medically vulnerable. Allowing a pandemic to rage "eliminates" those who will be costing the country large sums over the years.

Thank Gd Israeli politicians, as rotten as they may seem at times, have been trying to protect the elderly and weak.

I just hope and pray that ordinary Israelis will be willing to keep their masks on and follow the other guidelines to keep us all safe and healthy. Please remember that even previously healthy people have died or become infirm from corona/COVID, not just the obviously vulnerable.

Tikkun Olam: ISRAEL VS COVID 19, Book Review

Tikkun Olam: ISRAEL VS COVID 19: How is One of the Planet's Smallest Countries Helping to Tackle the World's Biggest Challenge? by Jodie Cohen is headed with: "Tikkun Olam." I found the book fascinating, but I wonder if Tikkun Olam was the true impetus for the early successes of Israeli start-ups and science/medical researchers in the "fight against" corona virus aka COVID 19.

Tikkun Olam literally means "repairing the world."

Tikkun Olam: In Jewish teachings, any activity that improves the world, bringing it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created.
Tikkun olam implies that while the world is innately good, its Creator purposely left room for us to improve upon His work.
All human activities are opportunities to fulfill this mission, and every human being can be involved in tikkun olam—child or adult, student or entrepreneur, industrialist or artist, caregiver or salesperson, political activist or environmentalist, or just another one of us struggling to keep afloat.

Tikkun Olam is a popular label, rationale. Many Jews of all persuasions tend to adopt/embrace philosophies, politics, visions and aims far removed from Traditional Jewish Values, label them as "Tikkun Olam" and then promote them as if Gd commanded. That's why I try to avoid that label.

As Israeli medical researchers and scientists quickly rushed into Olympic finals for innovations and cures to banish the dangers of COVID 19, I think it was more the pragmatic A Cure Needs to be Found and the innately Israeli competitive instinct We Must Win or We Die rather than Tikkun Olam. Don't forget that Israel's medical industry is a big money-maker, and you make more money when you're first.

Sorry for this negative sounding introduction. It's not to put down all that amazing facts listed in Jodie Cohen's Tikkun Olam: ISRAEL VS COVID 19: How is One of the Planet's Smallest Countries Helping to Tackle the World's Biggest Challenge?

Tikkun Olam: ISRAEL VS COVID 19: How is One of the Planet's Smallest Countries Helping to Tackle the World's Biggest Challenge? tells the stories behind the scenes in the quest to find cures. Cohen also mentions various Israeli organizations that help people all over the world in numbers and effectiveness far beyond our small numbers. This unique combination of competition, "do-gooding," improvisation and risk-taking is very much the Israeli persona.

Having spent half a century living in Israel, we made aliyah (moved here) as newlyweds, I take Israel's success as "normal." To me, the rest of the world suffers some sort of "disability," and that includes the Jews who still reside there.

I recommend ISRAEL VS COVID 19: How is One of the Planet's Smallest Countries Helping to Tackle the World's Biggest Challenge? because I like to brag about the great things we're doing here in Israel. And even more, it's food for thought, definitely not limited to a dry science report.

When thinking of Israel as a "start-up nation," it's important to examine the wide range of patents and breakthroughs Israelis can be credited with. This information, as of June, 2020, will be found in  ISRAEL VS COVID 19: How is One of the Planet's Smallest Countries Helping to Tackle the World's Biggest Challenge?

Product details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Minterne (June 12, 2020)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9655992217
• ISBN-13: 978-9655992212
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.3 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Maximum Attendance Should be PERCENTAGES, Not Numbers, Life in Corona COVID-19 Lock-down

When the Israeli Government announced "corona gifts" of money to help citizens out without proving poverty or restricting the money to the lower income bracket, I davka agreed. It would cost more to do the bureaucratic bookkeeping to enforce the restrictions than they would save. But when it comes to announcing maximum attendance in synagogues, restaurants, social halls the situation is completely different. These places are supposed to have a maximum capacity listed in their permits. And if they don't for whatever reason, a simple calculation can be made according to the size. For argument's sake, I suggest thirty percent 30% of maximum capacity, and if there hadn't been one set, then 20% of recommended capacity. Any restaurant which is then limited to under ten people will be take-out only. And any synagogue too small for even ten to fit by these standards must be closed.

More about the synagogues, for example here in Shiloh, there are large synagogues that were built to normally seat well over a hundred worshipers comfortably, and there are others that utilize small prefabricated shelters. In the large synagogues it's certainly easy to arrange safe seating for dozens of worshipers keeping their required distance. On the other hand the smaller building may not even be large enough for even a minyan quorum of ten, if they carefully follow social distancing regulations.

The government's "one size fits all" ruling is idiotic and counter-productive. There is no other way to put it.

A synagogue as large as the main synagogue in Shiloh,  Mishkan Tabernacle Synagogue, certainly has room for over 50 worshipers to sit safely, according to social distancing and another 20 or more upstairs in the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Section.

Corona, COVID-19 Safe "Visits," Check Out Some Blogs

Take advantage of being home more for entertaining yourself on your phone, computer or tablet to read some blog posts. The blogs I follow are the independent ones, not those supplementing op-eds on the online version of various newspapers. Bloggers like myself writer our own material and mostly use our own photographs and graphics. We're not in danger of being "pulled" by antagonistic editors or in competition for prominence for a good spot to attract readers.

A fellow blogger made this graphic for me when I hosted
the 89th Havel Havelim, Jewish-Israeli Blog Round-Up

Some blogs are very personal, while others follow the news. There are food blogs, frugal blogs, book/literary blogs, photo blogs, religious blogs, and some have evolved into what can be best described as "internet magazines."

Years ago, there were frequent, often weekly, blog carnivals aka "roundups" in which the host offered a selection of links to blog posts from many other blogs. And every once in awhile I return to that genre. This is one of those occasions.

As is my custom, I'm just listing the blog post titles for you to click. Remember, I'm not responsible for the content of any blog post other than my own. If you have anything to say about the various blog posts, comment on the individual blog. And if there are any blogs you recommend, please let me know in the comments here, thanks.

Enjoy!

TOO LATE – FRANCE IS LOST
Portrait of the Artist During LA Riots… Jew With A Gun
Mountains To Conquer, And Those Already Scaled
Simply Delicious Power Salad
Little Minyans Everywhere
The Past Three Months Have Been Harder Than I Realized
Forbidden, Allowed, or Obligated?
Where the ‘Woke’ Left Learn From and Defend Antisemites
The Tool That Is Twitter
Dangers of "Half" or "Partial" Sovereignty
Ears of Philosophy
Wisdom of the Fathers
Jewish Folklore and One of Its Lessons
The six week mark
Fantastic Israeli Second Hand Book Store
Rosh Chodesh Tammuz at Ancient Tel Shiloh

Which blog post did you like the best and why?

Visit again.

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz at Ancient Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, Gd willing we'll be back again praying together in Ancient Tel Shiloh, Shiloh Hakeduma.

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5780, ראש חודש תמוז תש"פ
Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh
תפילת נשים בשילה הקדומה
8:30 Monday and Tuesday 22 + 23/06 'ימי ב' וג

All Invited כולן מוזמנות
info: shilohmuse@gmail.com פרטים

Yes, you read it correctly. I decided to experiment and invite for both days of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz. It will herald one of those months that has the 30th day of the previous month and the first of the new one, both as Rosh Chodesh requiring Hallel, the Rosh Chodesh Musaf and Yaale viyavo...

I hope and pray that women will attend at least one of the Rosh Chodesh Prayers.

The chances are that face masks will still be required, even though our prayers are outdoors. We must take into account that there are senior citizens and others with compromised immune systems in our prayer group.

Ancient Tel Shiloh, Shiloh Hakeduma is a wonderful archeological site, and it's possible to arrange tours and other activities for visitors of all ages. For more information Phone: 02-5789122, visit@telshilo.org.il.

Synagogues Reopening in Israel

For the past couple of months, outdoor uncrowded aka keep your distance minyanim, Jewish Prayer groups, have been gathering all over our neighborhood and other places in Israel. That's because synagogues have been closed, padlocked even. From what I've heard, this has been the situation in Israel and all over the world. Too many people have caught the dreaded corona virus, COVID-19 when at religious gatherings.

As the rate of infection began to lessen here in Israel, outdoor prayers became permitted with masked (not everyone followed that rule) attendees standing a couple of meters from each other.

My husband favored the minyan in the park across the street. Besides the location being so close to the house, it's comfortably shaded and even has a few benches. Though he brought a chair or stool for the longer prayer services.

Apparently the new regulations permits men to pray indoors, but not women. The advantage is that the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Section will also be available for the men allowing them to spread out even more.

Gd willing a refuah shleimah, speedy and complete recovery for all the sick and the end of this corona virus, COVID-19 ASAP.

Good Corona COVID-19 News is Conditional

Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu made a major announcement last night that Corona  COVID-19 restrictions will be eased-not erased here, but...

Yes, but if three things happen, we'll be back to the lock-down.

1. 100 new cases of Corona  COVID-19 in a day, not counting those returning from abroad or living in one of the high risk communities. 
2. Doubling of new cases of Corona  COVID-19 within ten 10 days.
3. The daily number/count of those seriously ill with Corona  COVID-19 is two hundred and fifty 250.

This makes sense to me. Gd willing, 1- wear a mask, 2- keep one's distance and 3- basic good hygiene will keep us all healthy.

We must still be masked, or the virus will spread, and we'll be back to lock-down restrictions. 

Disgusted With The Latest Coalition News in Israel

I really am disgusted, and that's why I haven't blogged about it of late. I had been hoping that Bibi-Likud would have just made a tighter coalition. He could have made Gantz beg, certainly not offer so many ministerial posts and power.

Would you prefer another round of elections?

To be perfectly honest, I would have preferred a fourth round of elections.

Considering all that's going on with corona aka COVID-19 and security, the State of Israel is doing so much better than other countries.

My guess is that the Judicial is conspiring against Bibi, and he needs the backing of Gantz and crew. Latest news is that Mandelblit says that Bibi Netanyahu is legally permitted to form a new government. That's after Bibi got Gantz, Ashkenazi and Labor to join up with him.

Something stinks. It's that simple. Eventually we'll find out more of what's behind this.

What do you think?

Israel, The Only Jewish Country, Model Seder on National Television

Israel's President Ruby Rivlin

Model Seder, 5780, 2020, Channel 11

Model Seder, 5780, 2020, Channel 11

Wednesday, soon before Passover, 5780, 2020, began, there was a lovely, traditional "Model Seder" on Israel's Channel 11. Various entertainers, plus Israel's President Ruby Rivlin "beamed in" participated in a national Pesach Seder.

It's in times like this when we're reminded that Israel is the only Jewish country in the world. Granted that it's too easy to complain; people sure do.

I was going to blog about politics. But in these difficult corona, COVID-19, times, I really think it's better to write about something good and encouraging. In addition, when Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu explained the corona lock-down restrictions, he related them to the Passover holiday and family observances.

Let's look at the good and our blessings. One thing for sure, modern technology has made these restrictions much easier to bear. What do you think?

Simple COVID-19, Corona Life Saving Measure: Wear a Mask!

Surviving and being a good neighbor/citizen in the time of COVID-19, Corona requires wearing a mask. You don't need to spend money to get a mask. If everyone masks up, we'll all be safer and healthier!

You don't need to spend money on a fancy manufactured mask. I've cut up ripped sheets.

Here's my husband in one of my scarves

The "masked bandit" look is the rage nowadays, though too few people are following the rules.

I keep a bag of scarves and large pieces of cloth on the doorknob, on the inside of the front door.

When we come back home, we put the "mask" in the laundry and wash our hands with soap and water.

Since we live in a private house in Shiloh, which is rather rural/suburban, we don't need to be in a dangerous elevator or closed stairwell to leave home. This is a safety luxury that not all people can enjoy. I honestly don't know what I would do if leaving home was more dangerous.

As a senior citizen who does everything in my power to stay fit and healthy, walking isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. When I see adults and children out without masks, they are endangering everyone's health. Young people can carry the virus and infect others without any symptoms at all. It is necessary to wear masks, no matter how "good" you feel.

Here are the Israeli regulations:
Going Out to Public Space

• Going out in public is not allowed, except for one of the following purposes:
  • Going to and returning from the work place, as permitted by regulations
  • Purchase of food, medicines, essential products and receiving vital services
  • Receiving medical service
  • Blood donation
  • Receiving welfare services
  • Providing medical or other assistance to another person
  • An individual, or people who live in the same household, may go out for a short time and up to a distance of 100 meters
  • For purposes of immersion in a women’s mikveh with a prearranged appointment.
  • Transfer of a minor to educational facilities, solely for children of essential employees and special facilities (in accordance with Public Health Ordinance order)
  • Transfer of a minor, whose parents live separately, by one of his parents to the home of the other parent
  • Transfer of a minor whose guardian must leave for an essential need where there is no responsible person to watch the child
  • Legal processes
  • Demonstrations
  • Going to the Knesset
• A distance of at least 2 meters must be maintained between two people in public and at work.
• In public one must wear a protective mask, covering the nose and mouth. It is recommended to use a home-made cloth mask or a regular mask, fitted over the nose and mouth. 

Good News: Blue and White Disintegrated

Many people are describing Benny Gantz joining a coalition with the Likud and the disintegration of Blue and White as:

"Gantz blinked first."

Gabi Ashkenazi at Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions football game,
when our sons played on the same team, 12/2010,
Photo by Batya Medad

But I really think that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's "I'm too busy running the country in these difficult times" actions, ignoring Gantz was even more powerful than the classic "staring contest." Honestly, how long can even a political newbie/lightweight like Benny Gantz stare at a blank wall?

I also wonder if Gabi Ashkenazi had anything to do with Gantz's finally giving in. Ashkenazi is the only one of quartet to be joining Gantz in the coalition.

Gabi Ashkenazi at Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions football game,
when our sons played on the same team, 12/2010,
Photo by Batya Medad

Gabi Ashkenazi at
Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions football game,
when our sons played on
the same team, 12/2010,
Photo by unknown. That's me with
the pink gloves.

As you can see in the photos, there was a time when Gabi Ashkenazi and I cheered together for the same football team.  Our sons were top players together on the IFL Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions, that's American tackle football. He liked to sit right behind us, and never put on "airs." At the time Ashkenazi was head of the IDF, but he made time for cheering the team.

At this point most Israelis are sick and tired of all the political bickering and shenanigans, and we certainly don't want more elections.

The corona virus aka COVID-19 lock-down is causing us enough stress, and here in Israel, even the less Torah observant want to prepare in some way for Passover. Few people have sympathy for the MKs and party leaders who are looking for ways to gain political power during these difficult times. Even those who didn't vote for Bibi/Likud are impressed by how hard his team is working to get us through this epidemic with minimal casualties.  Other countries are in much worse shape.

It's Friday, and corona/COVID-19 or not, Shabbat will be in a few hours. May it be peaceful and healing.