Covid Good News/Covid Bad News

Let's get the bad things out of the way first: DRAT. Israel's cases are now topping 8,000/day. We've been in "sorta" lockdown for about a week now, but there has been veeeery little enforcement. While many stores are closed, more than just essential stores are open (I was in Tel Aviv yesterday, and I find it hard to believe that Laline [which is like the Israeli upscale version of Bath and Body Works], and Toys'RUs are essential businesses....). Schools have been open for every grade, which means that Ilana actually got to go to school for almost three weeks--hurray!!!!  Too bad this week has been midterms (did they even learn enough to make a test on?) and they go in for one test a day and then come home. Too bad because, BOOM, Thursday night we go into full-on, country-wide, they-really-mean-it-this-time lockdown, which means every grade above preschool that's not special ed will be closed. And roads closed. And stores closed. And WAAAH....

The Old City is the only place that has been seriously locked down, again with the doors closed to entrances (I seriously didn't even know those giant doorways even HAD doors there until the last lockdown), police checking that people live or work there, and empty streets.

Here are a few new photos of the empty Kotel (seriously amazing job perk that I can go here when so few other people can)....

the prayer book section, which is usually a mess of siddurim put haphazardly away, with the staff seemingly never able to keep up. Monday I found an Artscroll Ashkenaz easily on the beautifully-organized shelves, but almost couldn't get it out of the over-stuffed bookcase

Penina just got out of a week of bidud due to first one and then a second teacher of hers being Covid positive. Thankfully, she got two negative tests which gets you of of quarantine ten days after your exposure. But definitely not fun....

On the good news front (speaking of which, I get a very nice weekly email from Good News Israel), Israel is leading the world in vaccinating its citizens against Covid, with over 1.5 million people receiving their first doses, including 3/4 of the eligible members of our family (Ilana is too young), 4/5 if we include Cousin Jillian who smartly played the "I'm a medical student and really need one" card despite not being an Israeli citizen (it's still being worked out if/how vaccinations will be given to non-residents [at least, non-residents who aren't medical students!], which is a big question in a country with so many students in it)

I was feeling SO full of gratitude at this moment. Like, "the beginning of the end of this horrible time is RIGHT NOW". Mixed with a fair bit of, "See you soon(ish), Mom and Dad!"

Israel is making up guidelines for those who have been vaccinated, giving them (us?) "Green Passports" that will get us out of testing and quarantine when we come into contact w a Covid + person, or when we enter the country.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, I looove the superhero nurse character

I'm just hoping all goes well with people here getting their second dose on time and without incident.....And, if so, my prediction is that the Likud Party and Netanyahu will win when we go to elections, sigh, yet again, in March. 

Lastly, a fun fact: applications to Nefesh b'Nefesh are up over 200% since Covid started, with the highest number of applications by people over 55 (perhaps aided by the fact that people over 60 here are automatically able to get the vaccine??). Not-so-fun-fact for those of us renting but hoping to buy: this has meant that real estate prices have gone through the roof. Oh well, you're all welcome anyway.

Gotta end with a Percy pic! "Sleeping Cutie"