COVID-19 and Israel, Finally Seeing the Light at the End of the Tunnel

Passover is the Jewish holiday of freedom.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go back to Pharoh and announce to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go so that they can worship me.”

The first lockdown within the United States took place on 17 March 2020.  In Israel, the first lockdown was on 02 April 2020.  This was the list of events during March – April 2020:

lockdown
  • 20 Feb 2020 to 26 Feb 2020 – Major spread of the virus in Italy and Iran
  • 21 Feb 2020 – First COVID-19 case in Israel.
  • 10 Mar 2020 to 11 Mar 2020 – Purim
    • Big community events were canceled, but the country was not in lockdown.
  • 17 Mar 2020 – Start of the first lockdown in the United States
  • 11 Mar 2020 – Enforcing social distancing (after Purim)
  • 19 Mar 2020 – National state of emergency
  • 25 Mar 2020 – Restrictions further tightened; face masks

No matter which country you live in and which religion you practice, you were affected by these (or similar lockdowns) in your own country.  And like most people around the world, you played way too much mobile casino bonus — it was fun, who can blame you.

But too much of a good thing quickly becomes a bad thing.  3 lockdowns later and Israel finally sees the light at the end of the tunnel.  From Passover 2020 to Passover 2021, the world has been a rollercoaster.

First Lockdown in Israel (Passover)

  • 8 Apr 2020 – 3 day travel ban corresponding to the Passover holiday.
    • No intercity travel.  Not able to celebrate holidays with family members.  Police in the streets.  Limited to 100 meters from home.
  • 14 Apr 2020 to 16 Apr 2020 – Nationwide lockdown, corresponding to the end of Passover

Second Lockdown in Israel (Jewish High Holidays)

  • 13 Sep 2020 to 10 Oct 2020 – Start of 3 week lockdown (2nd lockdown), Jewish high holidays

Third Lockdown in Israel (time for Vaccination to take effect)

  • 20 Dec 2020 – First Israeli vaccinated for COVID
  • 27 Dec 2020 – Start of the third lockdown
  • 05 Jan 2021 to 31 Jan 2021 – Full nationwide lockdown
  • 25 Feb 2021 to 27 Feb 2021 – Night curfew, Purim
  • 07 Mar 2021 – restrictions were eased

Passover 2021, we will again be free

The first two lockdowns in Israel corresponded with major Jewish holidays.  It sucked, and everybody hated it.  Some understood the need for it.  Some did not.  Some followed the rules.  Some did not.  The last year has been a stressful one for everybody.

But it is a year later.

And the Israeli government has announced that people can celebrate Passover with friends and family again.  Israelis still have some restrictions. For example, indoor groups are still limited to 20 people, but that number is more than enough for most Israelis to share the holiday with friends and family.

But in Passover 2021, we will again be free to worship God.

The worst of the lockdowns began at Passover 2020 (a holiday about the freedom that was not free), and now celebrate the Jewish holiday of freedom again being free.  I do not even know about to describe what I am feeling.

The words “Let my people go so they can worship me.” bring new meaning.  It is one thing to say each year and think about them as something in the past.  It is quite another when one has lived through it and come out the other side.

May all the other nations of the world quickly start to see the light at the end of the tunnel in their communities as well.

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