Israel has such low numbers of Covid-19 infections (b''H) that I heard someone describe it as "we flattened the curve and then we jumped up and down on it a few times". So the big thing this past Shabbos was that shuls opened up for the first time in two months. Our synagogue, although it holds about 100 people, chose to allow only 15 people in by invitation only. This meant that the male Board members and some people who live on the same street as the synagogue were able to come in. Shalom Shachne, as one of the Board members, 'made the cut" (although, nice guy that he is, he said he felt terribly guilty going into shul as the rest of the street davened outside and/or tried to listen in through the windows).
The rules are that everyone who enters needs to use hand sanitizer, wear a mask, bring their own prayer book, and be 2 meters from another person unless they live in the same house. It's been quite lovely having him home for the past eight weeks, and having him davening at home has certainly brought our house to a higher spiritual level. And those "mirpeset minyanim" (did you remember your ulpan word from the last blog post?!) have brought the whole neighborhood to a higher level. I'm glad he/they are back in shul--it's where they're supposed to be. But I will miss hearing so much davening around me, miss hearing the late night singing from across the valley, miss hearing Bircas Cohanim from just a few houses away. For me, these were definitely "silver Covid linings".
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