Day 34

I took a hike in the hills today. On my way back, I saw a woman jumping rope at outdoor gym. I was pleased to see it's no longer taped off and used some of the machines.

I spent some time in the park with Louie and then came home and... well, watched more YouTube videos. But I don't feel I wasted as much time as I did yesterday.

When I went out to feed the cats, I saw that flags have been put up for the three holidays: Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom HaAtzma'ut.

In the news: we should have a new government later tonight. Gantz and Netenyahu will be sworn in  as PM at the same time, although Bibi will take the office first. There will be a huge cabinet.

There have 174 coronavirus deaths in Israel.

In his speech this evening, Netanyahu mentioned a 92-year-old Holocaust survivor who beat the virus.

Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, began this evening. Coronavirus prevented the usual memorial services. This year, one organization suggested that families light six candles in their homes.

There will be a siren at 10 a.m. I don't know whether I'll hear it in my neighborhood.

It is also the 12th day of the Counting of the Omer (one week and five days):

Judaism allows us to inhabit a culture of grace and hope.

If we work hard enough on ourselves, we can be forgiven.

Unproductive day

Drumming in the park
Watching YouTube videos
Going to the park to see Louie the Cat
First meal in days (chicken from Mary Jean's soup)
More YouTube videos
Feeding the stray cats
And still more YouTube videos

No reading, no Hebrew, no writing... feel ashamed of myself for being such a bum.

11th day of the Counting of the Omer:

If you find yourself in a situation of conflict that threatens to break something apart,
framing a covenant will help keep people together. There are certain things
we can do together that none of us can do alone.

Lockdown is the new normal

 

WhatsApp Call

I was feeling well enough this morning to go drumming across the street, by the hills.

Later, I saw my neighbor, Sophie, returning home. She had been sent home by the police for going bird watching. The bird sanctuary is on the other side of town (about an hour and a half walk), so that makes sense, but I'm pleased to know that no fines or imprisonment were imposed. Israeli cops aren't British bobbies.

I watched a lot of YouTube videos today (politics, culture, philosophy, but mostly politics), went shopping in the afternoon, and sat with Louie the Cat in Canada Gardens. In the evening, I fed the stray kitties and later had a video conference call with Alessandra, Tan, and Arlan from nine o'clock until ten-thirty.

It was wonderful to see everyone and catch up! It felt so good to have the gang back together again. (Tan is in Newcastle and is the only one of us who is working now.)

In the news: Bibi apparently gave a briefing this evening and announced the loosening of some restrictions.

The tenth day of the Counting the Omer begins tonight:

What can be healed is not holy. God does not want us
to accept poverty and pain, but to cure them.