HOLIDAY MIXUP

     Passover and Easter most often come at the same time. Both are family holidays, prompting reunions, introspection on life and a sprig of hope and encouragement in times when that sprig is often overwhelmed. It is a time of life, of choosing life, of celebrating life. It is also a time of being chosen for life it seems and hence, the mixup.
     The High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are true days of repentance, thought and the prime question of two parts: who shall live and who shall die, and the second, if death, by what method? And yet today and all the days of recent times and into the foreseeable future, we will be asking those very questions, at a seemingly incorrect time and the wrong holiday.
     Today, these are real questions asked and answered in real time. Who gets the last two ventilators? Who gets the poorer quality masks in the hospital? Who gets burnt out and careless, or bored, and defiantly stupid? Who puts others at risk with their idiocy and who dies because of that? "Mi yamut ooh mi yichyeh?" Who shall live and who shall die.
     As heavy duty as these times and questions are, we do see signs of hope, signs of a spring for humanity. Yes, at times we must look deep, deep down and way off in the future, but there is hope. People are learning to follow proper directions, particularly as these new and difficult rules pay off. People are willing to make sacrifices for others, for strangers, even as they scramble for the next 'hot' item to go missing from the shelves. Most telling are those who are willing to lay down their lives for complete strangers as they work so desperately hard caring for others medically, cleaning hospitals, delivering and stocking food and the groceries for the nation, who keep life ongoing as packages now rule the day. Kudos, the highest words of praise and thankfulness to all these wonderful people. They certainly are doing G-d's work as they go about their days.
     Who shall live and who shall die? Who shall be a slave and who shall go free? Who shall have the right to practice a chosen religion and who shall not? Who shall be persecuted and who not? Who shall have the rights inherent in being human and who shall be denied? All existential questions that usually arise during those other holidays, yet here they are today.
     There are moments of joy and defiance as well. A 97 year old WWII vet, a pilot, dances defiantly and joyously - and not bad at all - to JustinTimberlake's "Can't Stop That Feeling" and it goes viral. There is a definite life spirit in some and we need to learn from them, to have hope in moments of desperation, of apathy, of dark and gloomy thoughts. Dance. Sing. Talk at the door with your neighbor across the hall or across the street. There are ways to mix yet be safe.
     Most important of all, never forget who we are and what we represent to others, to our children and to the world. We are Americans and we need to prove that. We need to fight the attempts to gouge our democracy, to cause deep holes within, to destroy the right to vote even using new methods to voting as the virus hampers us. We must have patience and show the world a leadership rather than a helter skelter current approach. We must be civil, stop with the name calling and false apologies. Stand behind your words or shut up and do not say them in the first place, particularly if one is a public figure. Be a role model for the good, rather than for the opposite and we are sorely lacking there. Cut out the bombasity, the lies, the refusasl to accept the consequences of one's inactions as well as actions.
     There is hope. But we must avoid the pitfalls, watch out for the attempts to increase surveillance in the name of a national coronavirus watchdog program. Uh uh. Identify, trace and remediate, but do not track us. This is not the time of Big Brother - that is, if we stand tall and remain watchful, stand firm in our cherishing of democracy and empathy for others.
     So enjoy the holidays as best we can in these times and celebrate life. Celebrate families. Celebrate friends. Celebrate the sacrifices of others. Be generous. Be warm. Be hopeful. Most of all - Be safe. Stay well.
      Due to the holidays, I will not be posting until this coming Sunday. Please take the time to ead what you might have missed, share your thoughts, and enjoy life.