Well the lockdown here in Israel is easing up very slowly. The mall is still closed but they have opened restaurants only for take-out; no eating in or even eating on the premises outside yet.
They’re also worried about flu season because they’re worried that if the hospitals are already full of COVID that they won’t be able to handle any influenza cases. So they’re really encouraging everyone to get their flu shots this year, and they’re making it pretty easy.
We called our health plan (Maccabi) and secured an appointment for only two days after we called. They’re doing it all over, but our site was at the Tel-Aviv Expo center, which isn’t being used anyway due to COVID, so they just took over the ground floor to do the vaccinations. They had large posters almost from the highway pointing the way, all they way to the parking lot, then you just swiped your card and in about ten minutes we had both boys done. (The girls appt is next week; i think they’re trying to start with the younger kids who they feel are more apt to spread it around).
I also stopped by HaSofer in Jerusalem. Its a talit and t’fillin shop where my t’fillin are from, and i decided while i’m here that i should get them checked just to make sure they’re still kosher. yeah, apparently that’s a thing. in fact, its so much a thing that when they took my set and told me it would be about two weeks, they gave me “loaner pair” to use in the meantime. just like at the car dealer 😂, only no free coffee.
