Lazarus Sunday

My ranunculus

It' the last Sunday before Holy Week ... what we call Lazarus Sunday because the reading in Mass is about Lazarus' resuscitation. It's quite a poignant message today ... in the midst of the pandemic. At the lowest point in human experience, God comes to revive. Let's hope God's intervention will come soon. It's one severe lesson when we learn not economics or science can solve. All quiver before a microscopic virus.

Well today we learn that the virus is spreading fourfold in the ultra-orthodox community because they refuse to keep the govt's directives of staying home and social distancing. Just yesterday night hundreds gathered for the funeral of a rabbi. And the police stood by doing nothing because, in a statement today, they didn't want a confrontation with the ultra-orthodox. Well they have no qualms confronting other people. This fear of the ultra-orthodox is no less potent than the fear of the virus. The rabbis are all powerful ... even the civil law bows to them. But with this widespread illness now bringing down large communities of ultra-orthodox jews in all parts of Israel, the rabbi who defied the govt's orders as finally issued a decree telling his followers that a minyan (a group of 10 men required for public prayer) is no longer required and men should pray alone. Public reaction is scorn ... too late as more than 300 infections recorded in one community in only one day.    https://www.shemesh.co.il/en/explore/highlights/harav-kanievsky-in-a-dramatic-ruling-no-more-minyans/details?utm_source=wa&utm_campaign=highlight&utm_content=kanievsky&fbclid=IwAR2RKCQFz2PXeUje3W5XAfSDR4GGjeGXV4lmIuIX2VdyqyKgBA2iTlTIAtQ

Purple anemones 

Another news coming out is the suggestion that instead of a total lockdown, only the elderly and sick should be locked down while the young and healthy go out and be infected so they can acquire immunity to the virus. Sounds logical ... but not sure if there will be any twists in this course of action.  

Its the 4th day of the lockdown and there're few photos I can post as I'm home ... actually more in my room ... all the time. But my flowers are blooming so well so that's a bit of good news. Ranunculus and freesias are flowering in every pot. And my old classmate from way back 30 years called to say he's having a barbecue at his home terrace on the Mt of Olives today and asked me over. Obviously their lockdown is less rigid as ours in the Old City. In fact I'm just finding out that many other cities are more laxed than us. But its probably because the Old City is packed with thousands of residents living meters from each other, is a potential epicentre for the virus infection so the lockdown is extra harsh.