COVID Corona Update-- Almost Two Years and...

The photo above shows people/cars gathered at the Shiloh COVID Corona testing site. 

getting COVID vaccine #4
aka booster #2

Numbers of "positives," whether with symptoms or asymptomatic are skyrocketing. I have my theories...

From what I understand most of the "positives" would never have gotten tested if the "law" hadn't demanded it. They had/have no symptoms. Here in Israel at least, many people need to be tested for work, studies, visiting the vulnerable, such as those in old age homes, or because they'd been identified as exposed to someone sick with COVID Corona.

This latest version of COVID Corona is much milder and less dangerous than the previous ones, otherwise the hospitals/healthcare system would have totally collapsed. I'm not surprised.

Epidemics like COVID Corona usually last about two years, and  it looks like the virus is getting less dangerous, though spreading easily.

IMHO we're getting to the time when the vaccine and booster will be recommended periodically, and COVID Corona will join the flu and common cold as part of life.

I also think that some of us will keep masking in public and closed places. It's a relatively easy precautionary measure against all air-borne viruses. 

What do you think?

Back To Matan- Life's Getting "Normal"

Last week I was back at Matan for one of the pre-Rosh Hashana learning mornings Yom Iyun. I didn't do the entire program of a few days, but Wednesday worked out perfectly for me.

I have been studying Tanach/Bible in Matan for years. I love the approach of the teachers there.

Some students were home or wherever via Zoom, but there were plenty of us in the auditorium. It was so wonderful to return to my favorite studies and see teachers and friends in person.

There were three classes. One by Yael Ziegler, one by Shani Taragin and the last by Yael Leibowitz. They were all excellent. In order to attend in person, we had to show our "green passport," or whatever you want to call it. And we all had to wear masks. Only the teachers took theirs off to teach.

My friends and I are looking forward to the resumption of regular classes. There's a limit how long we can maintain isolation. Besides my formal Matan studies, I'm part of a study group, yes Bible, and we've covered a lot of material this past year and a half, since we meet on zoom more frequently than we used to meet in person.

I don't know if life will ever really go back to what it once was, at least for us senior citizens. We must consider this the "new normal."

I Do Choose What to Believe, and I Believe That COVID IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE VACCINE

Barely a week ago, I called our healthcare provider to book an appointment for the third or booster vaccine against COVID corona. Just a couple of days later I went to a nearby clinic and was vaccinated.

Since the epidemic began, I've been following regulations/suggestions even when it meant that I wore a mask at the birthday parties for our preschool grandchildren. Except for the occasional video call, they didn't see our smiles for a year. Masks were only taken off after being vaccinated.

Even when the kids came over, I'd serve but not eat with them.

For decades I've been known as a "health food nut." My cakes and challot are made with whole-wheat flour and brown sugar. I had been a vegetarian for a quarter of a century. My kids were "deprived," since we didn't have chocolate, candy or soda in the house when they were growing up.

I rarely rushed to a doctor for prescriptions, but I never had a doubt that certain illnesses and conditions healed best, most quickly and sometimes only by taking conventional medicines. 

Proudly I recall standing in line with my first grade class to be vaccinated against polio during that historic time in the middle of the 20th century. Later we were given different versions of the vaccine, since it was all so experimental. None of the experts were sure which would be most effective.

Every medicine, vaccine can have a rare dangerous side-effect, but as a CPA's daughter the math is simple. The illnesses/conditions we take those medicines for are much more dangerous. That's why so much money is needed for pharmaceutical research and testing. 

The polio vaccine was horrendously experimental but brilliantly effective. The Small Pox vaccine was a nightmare causing days of high fever. My two eldest children had to get it, and I'll never forget how sick it made them. But today Small Pox is history, and my younger children and grandchildren didn't require it. These deadly, crippling illnesses are now unknown. 

If people would just get vaccinated against COVID corona, we'll be able to return to a more pleasant life. Periodic vaccines and boosters are a small price to pay for health.

The financial ripoff isn't conventional medicine. It's all those pyramid schemes selling "oils" and "vitamins" etc. via agent after agent. The "sales staff" invites friends to "invest" and sell and then find new suckers to join their schemes. None of these medicines/products have been through any sort of proper testing. But lots of people are getting rich and even more are losing money. And some who should have trusted their doctors are losing their health and even their lives.
 

Will The March 2021 Elections Be Better Than The March 2020 Elections?

March 2020 Elections

Will The March 2021 Elections Be Better Than The March 2020 Elections?

That Is The Question...

After a year of COVID corona, the world seems a bit shaky. 

Today in Matan listening to a Bible class, taught by Dr. Yael Ziegler, about Noach and family hesitatingly leaving the ark, we could easily relate. Even though most adults are fully vaccinated against COVID corona, we haven't yet resumed our previous level of socializing. Most of us are still pretty solitary, unless zooming, whatsapping or writing or phoning. Our tables are still pretty empty of guests, and we haven't had a Shabbat meal at neighbors for over a year.

It's hard to believe that in less than two weeks, we'll be voting in Knesset Elections. Will we be required to remove our masks so the "officials" can match our faces to our Identity Cards?

And even more important:

Will sixty plus 60+ of the resulting one hundred and twenty 120 Members of Knesset be able to come to some viable coalition agreement?

We the citizens of the State of Israel want a viable government with strong leadership to steer our precious country to security, sovereignty and good health.

I will vote for a political party that has positions, a platform and plans, not for a party that just says "NOT BIBI."  To be honest, I do feel that it's time for Bibi Netanyahu to retire. He's a few months younger than I am and I have no idea where he gets his energy. But energy or not, it's not good for a country to have the same political leader for over a decade. 

I'd like to see Bibi retire with dignity and pass the baton on to the next generation. But I'm not voting for a political party which makes "replacing Bibi" the key issue to their campaign.

For the past decade plus, I've been a member of a small group of women studying the Bible. Right now we're studying Chronicles, which is about the Jewish Kings, the descendants of King David. Some are good, some are bad and some are very, very evil. It's not enough just to put on crown on someone's' head and call him "king." And just because someone wants to be prime minister and has financial backers to cover the expenses of a political party's campaign, doesn't mean he, or she, will do a good job as prime minister or even politician.

Politics is a very complex profession, and here in Israel, because a prime minister must control a coalition it's especially complicated. It can be described as playing a dozen difficult chess games simultaneously. Maybe two dozen would be more accurate. 

I think it's important to vote for a party headed by a potential prime minister, unless you want Bibi and Likud to continue. As I have already said, it's time for Bibi Netanyahu to retire.

That's why I'm giving my vote to Yemina ב. Of all the wannabes, I prefer Naftali Bennett. 

Bennett had a successful career before he went into politics. He has been working his way up, did a good job when Bibi have him responsibilities and has an excellent team working with him.

Masks- A Linguistic Purim Spiel, Story, Dvar Torah

Bemasked and Bewigged Purim 5781

I was rather surprised and even flattered when a neighbor asked me to prepare something to say about "Masks" for the Old Fogeys' Purim Party. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure if I was supposed to be serious, theological or humorous, but I figured that if I asked too many questions, I'd lose the gig.

My mind began racing in all different directions in two languages. Actually, I was thinking in English and translating into Hebrew almost simultaneously. The talk was to be in Hebrew, even though my brain's wiring is primarily English. 

One shouldn't forget that according to some expert linguists, Hebrew is the root/source of all languages. If that's really true, then thinking in English is sort of like thinking in Hebrew. 

Every once in awhile the similarities between English and Hebrew words strike me like a bolt of lightening. When I'm on the Jerusalem Lightrail in Pisgat Zeev I hear:

"פסגת זאב מרכז"

"Pisgat Zeev Merkaz*"

"Pisgat Zeev Market"

Until the lightrail announcement, I had never noticed the similarity between merkaz and market. Remember that markets are in town centers...

Back to masks...

...The job of a mask is to mask is to hide...

OOPS! A mask is a מסכה masecha, but to mask or to hide is להסתיר lihas'tir which unrelated linguistically to מסכה masecha. which has the same root as סוכה succah, which gives us protection. 

By thinking/planning in English I was making no sense in Hebrew. And davka me, who gets all riled up at bad translations causing even theological mistakes. For example a Biblical Prophet, Navi נביא is not a fortune or future teller. He or she is a messenger, a tool Gd uses to pass important warnings to the Jewish People. Because it's always translated into "prophet" meaning teller of the future, now even Hebrew speakers think that the role of a Navi is tell the future.

Mask does sound very much like masecha. Maybe they are related...

Then it hit me! Such siyate d'Shmaya, such irony, too! During this past year masks have been a tool for protection against the COVID corona virus! No longer do we primarily think of a bank robber in a mask. Now we wear masks to stay healthy and keep others healthy. It's for protection, not hiding. 

Hebrew really is the root of all languages.

Stay safe, and wear your mask in public or when with other people.

*Center

Letters From Planet Corona- A Book Review

Letters From Planet Corona is a series of "letters" written by Chaya Passow during the first half year plus of the COVID corona pandemic, which has changed our lives in so many ways.  They had been sent out to numerous family and friends, who enthusiastically read them and encouraged her to publish them in book form. Now all of us can buy and read Letters From Planet Corona, which also makes a great present for others.

Chaya Passow is, davka, someone I had known in my teens way back when in the old country, and we had just gotten reacquainted* a short time before COVID corona closed down what we all now refer to as "before" or "normal life." 

It's rather ironic that Chaya began sending out these letters to friends and family, as my blogging went into paralysis of sorts. But I must admit that Chaya's letters are much better than any of my musings aka blogposts. She combines, humor, stories, philosophy, news, religion, fantasy and more.

We can all identify with the subjects and emotions Passow describes in Letters From Planet Corona. I love how she suddenly notices the flowers in front of her building, because on Planet Corona she exits the front door to walk in her immediate neighborhood instead of going out the back to her car. Yes, on Planet Corona our world has shrunken. For many of us, we only travel to go to a doctor or the dentist.

I look forward to seeing Chaya again in person, but in the meantime I've enjoyed getting to know her via Letters From Planet Corona. I'm sure that you will, too; buy her book.

Product details

• Publisher : City of Gold Press (December 1, 2020)
• Language : English
• Paperback : 239 pages
• ISBN-10 : 9655994058
• ISBN-13 : 978-9655994056

*Chaya Passow's son plays quarterback for the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions which is coached by my son. Yes, it's a very small world. We had been looking forward to cheering the team onto its fourth straight IFL national championship when all sports activities were stopped in order to prevent/reduce infection.

When Will The COVID "Typhoid Marys" Admit Their Mistakes?

I wear a mask even when walking. Why doesn't everyone wear masks and keep the rules to keep us all safe?

Here in Shiloh, when the COVID corona positive person agrees, there are detailed public announcements that ____ has been diagnosed. 

In addition a list of places where the person had been are listed, and it always says, so far at least:

"wore a mask and behaved according to instructions." 

One thing bothers me. The sum total of those sick and the names announced don't tally. 

Then I realized that not everyone has agreed to have his/her name publicized. OK... 

In cases I've heard of people sick with COVID corona who've refused publication, they've been neighbors who flout the rules. I guess that's why they won't let their names out. 

The announcement would have to give that detail, no masks and mocked the rules. 

I'm waiting for one of those to allow their names to be publicized and then say: 

"Chatati, I've sinned and I'm sorry."

Get Vaccinated!

Plea For Honesty and Openness, Please Admit When COVID Positive

I should hope that by now everyone, even the most fanatic of the doubters, admits that COVID corona can be very deadly and is extremely contagious.

Here in Shiloh we periodically get notices about neighbors being COVID Positive, meaning that they have been officially diagnosed as sick with corona. 

In the beginning, I was pretty relaxed figuring that not too many neighbors had gotten the disease, since so few names had been released. But then I began to notice a major discrepancy in the numbers of those whose names had been released and the total number announced of  affected people living here in Shiloh. You don't have to be a CPA's daughter like myself to know that the numbers weren't adding up at all. 

Then I discovered something very, very disturbing and worrying. Quite a few people had been refusing to release their names to the general public, insisting that they would let everyone they had been in "close" contact during the crucial contagion days know. Technically, the law is with them on that. But it means that if their family members -including young kids- aren't keeping the legally required quarantine, we innocent/ignorant neighbors have no idea of knowing. That's dangerous, especially since children are known to be asymptomatic COVID Positive in many cases. 

Another "privacy" issue concerns who has been vaccinated and who hasn't?

When I decorated our Shiloh 43rd Birthday/Anniversary poster, I added the "We've Been Vaccinated" sticker I had. I think it's very important to know if someone has or hasn't been vaccinated. Many of us are making great efforts to stay healthy and protect others.

I'm always masked when outdoors and do my best to keep my distance from those whose vaccination and health status are unknown and possibly dangerous. 

IMHO all those men and women too who pray in a minyan, whether inside or outside, must make a public notice if they're confirmed as COVID Positive. The same goes for any staff member in a store or a medical clinic. The health safety of others should override personal privacy. That's why I've written this: 

Plea For Honesty and Openness, Please Admit When COVID Positive

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.

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.

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.

Likud Voters Voted Bibi But Got Benny Gantz

This is my local synagogue, locked and blocked during the corona lock-down. This is used for illustrative purposes only. BTW it may remind you that during the corona crises, Naftali Bennett has worked hard, efficiently and effectively for the health of the State of Israel.

Israel's new government, soon to sworn in, led yet again by Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu will have an outrageously large number of ministers to satisfy/tempt/pay off the politicians and parties Bibi wanted in his coalition. Chareidi party leaders were even surprised at how easy it was this time to get the assignments they wanted. In addition, Blue and White's Benny Gantz was given crucial positions which had been promised to the Right, meaning Likud or Yemina. According to reports Gantz has veto power.

Something stinks.

Yemina leaders Naftali Bennett and crew have spent the past few months working hard showing their loyalty to the bloc Bibi had been touting. But what did Yemina get from Bibi? Zilch! Nothing. The publicized offers aren't even worth mentioning, so insulting. There seems to be something "personal" in it. One can insult and malign Netanyahu as Gantz has been doing the past couple of years, and Bibi will forgive. But if someone works hard and well and is a generation younger, Bibi feels threatened so "off with his head."

Quite a few people wanted Yemina but voted Likud. What a shame. They got the other Binyamin,  Gantz instead of Netanyahu.

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?

What Do You Think? 4th Elections or Will Bibi Gather 61+ Or Will Bibi and Gantz Make a Deal*?

*When I wrote the post below just an hour or so ago, I didn't even think there was a chance that Bibi would trust Gantz. Honestly, I wouldn't trust him. But it looks like they actually will sign some sort of agreement for an emergency/unity government.

Rather crazy here in Israel. You'd think Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu had enough to do trying to make the safest possible policies for the citizens and residents of the State of Israel during "corona crisis." Whether Bibi wants to or not, he's still just an "interim" Prime Minister, since he hasn't officially formed a coalition.

Benny Gantz and his Blue and White party have fallen apart. Ditto for the party Labor's Peretz had formed with Orly Levi. Naftali Bennett and what remains of the NRP seem to change with each election. But Bibi and the Likud have been pretty stable, though Gidon Saar did try to usurp the top spot. You may think that usurp isn't the correct word, but the timing was totally bad, and I lost any respect I had for Saar. I feel that his challenge was bad for the Likud at a time when loyalty was needed.

So, what do you think? Will we have to go to elections yet again, or will Bibi manage to gather enough stray MKs to present a government coalition of 61+?

Please write your vote in the comments, thanks.

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. 

Counting The Omer, Easier Than Trying to Calculate The End of Corona Lock-down

Here we are a week before Passover aka Pesach, and this used to* be the season when we'd sign up for various reminders to help us remember to Count The Omer, Sefirat Ha'Omer, the seven weeks, forty-nine 49 days between the second night of Passover and the Eve of Shavuot.

*Why did I write "used to?"
I wrote "used to," because today when most everyone has some sort of cell phone with alarm clock, you can just set your phone to be your daily alarm.
This method is fine on week nights, but it doesn't work Shabbat and the eve of the last night of Passover. I came up with a simple method that works for me.
I hang up a sign across from where I like to sit in the living room. As you can see, before  Shabbat or the holiday, I write the number of the Omer I must count. I've found that to be a very reliable reminder. 

Counting the Omer was one of the most difficult mitzvot for me to observe in the early decades of my being Torah observant.

When I became religious in the mid-1960s, there was no reminder system. Only men who went to the synagogue every night to doven/pray Ma'ariv with a minyon had it as their easy to remember routine.

I didn't succeed in counting the Omer until our son-in-law came on the scene and signed us up for reminders with the cell phone company he was then working for. It was around the same time email reminders had begun, but I didn't check my email as often as I do now. So email wasn't the best, just better than nothing.

Maybe I'm the only one who has already lost track of how many days/weeks we've been on this corona lock-down, living with what was once unimaginable restrictions. Not only don't we know when it's going to end, we're constantly being warned that the noose aka restrictions maybe getting tighter.

Most people can adjust to something difficult when they know how long it will last. But even with all the complicated computations and guesswork the experts have been coming up with, there are too many unknowns to factor in for any accuracy. Another issue is that the virus is affecting various countries differently.

We must combine strict obedience and "letting go." There certainly is an inconsistency in that. But that's how we must live in the near future. We must make our efforts, mask ourselves when outside and stay inside as much as possible. Instead of doing our own shopping and choosing the choicest fruits and vegetables, we send in our orders and thank the staff of the local store. It's a new life for us.

Trust and faith are all we can control.

Chazal, our sages tell us that the plague, epidemic, which caused the death of thousands of Rabbi Akiva's students ended Shavuot. That's one of the reasons we count the Omer until then.

Gd willing we'll celebrate the end of this modern plague במהירה בימינו bimhaira biyameinu, speedily in our days.