No one, in any of our communities, has escaped the broad and deep effects of the pandemic. The complexity of experiences, and the level to which everyone has been touched by COVID-19 takes as many forms as there are people.
There are those who are grieving, and those who have been sick. There are those who daven for the cholim almost constantly. There are those who have lost their jobs and primary sources of income and are frozen by fear, and those who are going over their spreadsheets and earning statements almost constantly, predicting difficult times ahead. There are those who are visiting food gemachs as “clients” for the first time ever, and conversely, those looking for better and better opportunities for their chesed efforts and donations.
And there are also those who are sitting at the window watching the birds peck and care for their young in springtime nests. Unlike the birds, even our way of celebrating births have been affected by the pandemic; a Zoom bris, for example, can present mixed feelings, with family members feeling somehow let down after such a long-awaited birth. Many parents are working hard to make the most of their childrens’ birthdays, graduations and smachot, putting on admirably brave faces, trying to do more within the suddenly-much-smaller set of options for celebration. Many, too, are bored to tears by “finishing Netflix,” having exhausted all measures of indoor entertainment options. All these experiences are real and we know that no one’s experience is more important or relevant than any other.
As editors of a Jewish community newspaper, we appreciate that many of our community members, friends and not-yet-friends alike, have reached out, with feedback, submissions and just saying hi and telling us they appreciate our paper. We find that encouraging. As we continue to weather this new economic and social reality along with everyone else, we hope to continue curating a newspaper that is valued as a community resource.
In the meantime, we savor our commitment to telling our communities’ stories. Please continue to send us your pictures, story ideas and articles to [email protected].
