The Coronavirus Pandemic has caused for many social and medical adjustments. Although it may seem as if the country and the world are at a standstill, time continues to move on, as the days on the calendar keep ticking by. Most events across the country have been canceled, with non-essential workers being told to stay home and the vast majority of the country’s schools transitioning to virtual learning programs. This has caused a rise in the usage of virtual connection software applications, such as FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, and Google Meets in replacement of in-person socializing.
Although the majority of events can be rescheduled in the face of this crisis, certain dates are more set in stone than others. Among these are religious holidays. This is a very meaningful week for many observant Jews and Christians. The first two nights of Passover, or Pesach, were April eighth and ninth. Passover is a very important holiday for the Jewish community, as it is of much religious significance and it acts as a time for families to come together amidst busy lives. The Passover dinner, or the Seder, is a time for Jewish families to read prayers and discuss what is happening in one another’s lives.
Sadly, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, accommodations had to be made for many Seders to happen, this year. Although a bit hectic, my family had a successful experience with our Zoom seder. By connecting three households, between two different cities, my extended family members were all able to see each other’s faces on this meaningful holiday. Although certain aspects of the holiday were lost due to the situation, the important aspects remained the same. We may not have been eating the same food, nor were we able to “break off for little side-conversations,” according to my own mother, in response to my aunt who did not particularly understand this aspect of a Zoom phone call. Nonetheless, the adjustments did not take away from the key aspects of the holiday, we celebrated and recognized the importance of the holiday, but more importantly, we were together.
