“Our people have lived through worse without Netflix,” said Rabbi Dr. Eric Lankin from his home in Jerusalem, where he and his family have been self-quarantining for weeks.
In a phone interview with The Jewish Link, the former Highland Park resident noted that Israelis have been social distancing longer than Americans in an effort to stem the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed more than 30,000 lives in the United States and more than 100 in Israel.
“We have the strength and can help others through this,” said Lankin, who is also vice president of development for StandWithUs, a nonprofit international pro-Israel education organization, which is continuing its advocacy outreach online, and through such platforms as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and webinars. He also teaches nonprofit marketing at the Hebrew University.
Lankin said while some charedim have not been complying with the social distancing restrictions, the message seems to be getting through to even them, and most Israelis are taking them seriously.
‘We live within walking distance of the Kotel, but can’t go there,” explained Lankin.
Jay Weinstein, the former religious leader of the Young Israel of East Brunswick, now living in Ma’ale Adumim, said being limited to 0.62 miles from his home and homeschooling four children ages 13, 11, 7 and 5 has kept him and his wife, Sharon, busy.
“There’s been no timetable for ending the quarantine,” said Weinstein in a phone interview. “We’ve been hanging out and keeping a positive outlook and helping the kids with their schoolwork.”
Weinstein is director of the G2 Global Intergenerational initiative, part of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership2Gether. It is a platform for grandparents to engage with pre-teen grandchildren to explore, share and experience the younsgters’ relationship to their family, local community, Israel and the Jewish people. He also teaches at Yerushlayim Torah Academy, a high school for English speakers. Like Lankin, his employers are transitioning work to online platforms.
The program had to bring back many shluchim from around the world as the virus crisis worsened. Although the borders are closed, he said Israeli officials arranged to have stranded young people who were traveling around the world after completing their military service brought home to Israel. Two flights from North America and another from Ethiopia also brought new olim, who were quarantined upon arrival, to Israel.
Tzvi Gordon, a 27-year-old former Highland Park resident now living in Jerusalem, had been working as a chef at the Hatch Brewery, which had closed its doors about three weeks earlier. In an e-mail, he said he and his co-workers are now on unemployment.
“Since filing I’ve pretty much hung out at home playing drums, cooking, cleaning, whatever I can do to keep myself and my mind busy,” he wrote.
To help fellow Israelis who could not afford essentials this Passover because of the coronavirus crisis, he and a friend started The Chesed Fund, which as of April 6 had raised just over $700.
“Living in Israel can sometimes be financially straining,” said Gordon. “Holidays are even more so no matter where in the world you celebrate. A lot of olim have family they can go to for meals and support. A large number do not. No matter which category they’d fall into, everyone is being forced to make Pesach themselves and that carries a lot of stress even when money is flowing. I wanted to offer just some support in one area of holiday prep, grocery shopping.”
Through the fund each client gets grocery reimbursement or a gift card. Gordon said the original plan was to only distribute cards, but movement restrictions made that impossible. At the time of this writing, everyone who has reached out has received help.
Lankin spoke of the at-times-surreal reality of the pandemic. He and his wife, Jeanne, have a new granddaughter who is several weeks old. A psychologist, Jeanne is continuing to help clients through the crisis via Zoom. The outbreak has spurred the Palestinian Authority leadership to work cooperatively with Israelis. Rocket attacks have all but ceased from Gaza.
Nonprofit organizations are surviving through the efforts of one or more major donors, even if many of their efforts are stalled. Lankin cited former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s “profound” quote, “Never waste a crisis.”
“A good nonprofit should take advantage of new technologies in a crisis like this and do what our organization has done and strengthen itself,” said Lankin.
For others, he recommended using the time wisely, adding, “Prayer is good as a way to gain spiritual strength during this challenging time. Calling others to find out how they’re doing and feeling and ask how you can help is also important.”
Weinstein also has found that communicating through online platforms has contributed to “a communal positive feeling” and “strong sense of community.”
“People do want to help and I do feel a strong sense that people are coming out in our community to help families,” he said, but beyond their own communities many Israelis are keeping a close eye on the growing problem in the U.S.
“A lot of us have friends and family in New York and New Jersey and we are very concerned about what is going on there,” he said.
By Debra Rubin
