The regions of Israel caused by coronavirus were elevated at Purim

Purim, which began on the night of February 25 and expands this year through Sunday in Jerusalem and other Israeli cities, marks the protection of the Jews from the evil Haman, who plotted to kill the entire community. .

Purim also marks the one-year anniversary of the Jewish calendar of the pandemic COVID-19, in which the coronavirus, instead of a young Persian upstart, is a mortal threat. And, now, Israelis may be a threat to each other.

Some members of Haredi’s ultra-rectangular community have pushed health rules because of the coronavirus, holding funerals and weddings with thousands of attendees, often without wearing masks.

Ultra-Orthodox patients make up an unequal share of Israel cases of the coronavirus, and many Israelis have blamed the three national locks in the past year for non-compliance with the rules .

As a result, tensions between the Haredi community and the rest of the Israeli Jewish population have reached boiling point.

Despite the divisions, Yosef Ote, rabbi of Hazvi Yisrael’s Orthodox synagogue community in Jerusalem, says that four mitzvots, or deeds, associated with Purim can help Israelis connect.

“The whole chag [holiday] Purim, in my opinion, is about unity and that is why the four mitzvots are about caring for each other, ”he says.

This year Purim will last for three days in Jerusalem and some other Israeli cities since it began on Thursday night; Jewish Sabbath causes some of the holidays to be missed until Sunday.

Ote explains that Purim begins with the reading of the Book of Esther, the first mitzvah, on Thursday and that he gives charity to the poor, the second mitzvah, through Friday up to the Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat.

Shabbat is celebrated as usual except for reciting al-Hanissim prayer about miracles. On Sundays, food gifts are exchanged between friends and neighbors, which is the third mitzvah. The fourth mitzvah is the holiday meal.

“In a way, we are celebrating three days at Purim, and we need that this year with all that goes with a corona,” Ote says.

He hopes the holiday will bridge the huge differences among Israelis, which have grown even larger as a result of the pandemic.

“If we are really in our hearts trying not to talk ill about people unless they are doing something terribly wrong, like endangering other people’s lives, but other things that not related to life, just perhaps a difference of opinion, [then] we should agree to agree and not cause hatred, ”says Ote.

“And then we leave everything to Hashem [God]. If we really do our part, I think we will be a happier country. “

Ote believes that alignment can be initiated through mitzvot.

This year most people cannot go to a synagogue until the first mitzvah of the reading of the Book of Esther, called the Megillah, out in public. However, meaningful identification has also brought about unity that transcends Israel’s borders.

As part of the first Purim under the Abraham Accords, the consolidation agreement signed between Israel and the two Gulf states as well as two counties in North Africa, the Gulf Jewish Communities Association marks the beginning of the free- Thursday night days.

Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, chairman of the board of trustees of the King Hamad World Center for Peaceful Consistency, will be based in Bahrain.

The second and third mitzvot, giving gifts to the poor and friends, also serve as a fair in the community.

“Taking care of the poor at Purim ensures that all expectations can be identified, not just those with financial potential,” Ote says.

“There are gifts not only for the poor, but also for making sure our neighbors are together.”

The company has the mitzvah, although this year because of the pandemic does not allow people to “celebrate together and be happy and forget all the problems,” he said. e.

The number of Israelis in need of financial assistance has come together during a coronavirus crisis.

“It’s a difficult situation right now in Israel. … The economy is still open, but parts of the economy remain closed and are likely to remain largely closed in the future, ”said Joseph Gitler, founder and chairman of Leket, a food rescue organization that fight hunger.

“Anyone making their living in anything related to tourism and hospitality is suffering greatly… Unemployment numbers, which were before 4% at corona, are now closer at 15%, “he said.

“In general, we are trying to expand our activity so that we can offer the same level of service to people who are new, and we hope that they are the temporary poor. But at the moment, although there is some light at the end of the tunnel, it is still a middle light, ”says Gitler.

“At least until the end of 2021, demand is going to be higher than normal for grants,” he says.

So Leket has embarked on an additional Purim campaign to feed people specifically during the holidays.

Despite the struggling economy, Laeticia Zohar, owner of The Little Bow Company, based in Petah Tikva, which delivers retail gift boxes throughout Israel, says she has not noticed a change in the demand from last year.

“I don’t see more business, but I don’t see less either,” she says.

“People are still happy not to go to stores and some people don’t want to deliver it themselves.”

The fourth mitzvah, the holiday meal, is traditionally accompanied by alcohol.

“My idea is based on Maimonides… to drink a little more than you normally would on Shabbat to care a little less about the normal daily problems and be happy with your fellow Jew,” Ote says.

A happy mitzvah is throughout the entire Hebrew month of Adar in which Purim takes place.

In trying times, Israelis are trying to find happiness where they can. For Israeli youth, Purim celebrates a welcome gathering, in person, after spending weeks apart.

“We are happier this year as we feel this is an impact. We did not give up, ”said Hagit Iss, principal of Harei Eilat TALI School, which is in a southern resort and linked to the Reformation movement, commenting on the school ‘s Purim celebration on 24 February.

The junior grades returned to school last week after the national lock kept them at home for more than a month. Fifth and sixth grade returned to personal classes on Sunday.

“The children were so happy that they had been locked up at home for so long. It was like a carnival,” says Iss, referring to the outdoor festivals where children dressing, holiday use.

However, the holidays required some adjustments at times of epidemic.

“We did not exchange Manot Mishloach; we couldn’t share food as usual. “Iss says of the holiday food gifts among neighbors and friends.

Instead, the children made gift bags for soldiers and for local hospital staff.

Natalie Halachmi, owner and manager of Natalie Nursery in Netanya, says the children and preschoolers were very happy this Purim, despite the pandemic difficulties.

“When they came back two weeks ago, one of the boys was still talking about Hanukkah,” she says. “We did a lot about Hanukkah, we missed Tu B’shvat, we missed Family Day, we lost everything,” she says.

“I usually start a month before Purim and I start talking about Megillat Esther [the Book of Esther] and we say Haman and all the children are going ‘boo,’ ”Halachmi said.

“We spent the last two weeks trying to calm everyone up and get children back to normal, rather than getting ready for chag, ”The Hebrew word for holiday.

“I have to say though, we pulled it off,” Halachmi says, adding that the children were full of laughter as they showed off their clothes.