COVID-19 – Page 16

Katz makes difference

University of British Columbia student Ava Katz has been helping people with errands since the pandemic began. (photo by Paul Joseph/UBC)

First-year kinesiology student Ava Katz commutes to the University of British Columbia from Kerrisdale, where her housemates include her 91-year-old grandmother and a mother with a heart condition. In these extraordinary times, Katz doesn’t want her loved ones risking their health with unnecessary trips to the grocery store. So, in March, she began making those trips herself. As she was transporting groceries home from Save-On Foods, something occurred to her.

“It dawned on me that there are people in the community who don’t have family, who don’t have anyone else to go out for them,” said Katz.

Her final exams were just a couple of weeks away. It’s the time of year when most students’ instincts are telling them to clear their schedules of any distractions. Katz’s instincts were telling her to do something else.

She posted a public note on Facebook: “In wake of the spreading pandemic, I would like to offer my services to anyone who is compromised during this time. If you or someone you know is in need of groceries, household items, etc., please contact me directly and we can arrange for me to complete your needed errands free of charge.”

She indicated where she lived and her phone number, assuring people, “I will not enter your homes, only drop items off at the door. Priority goes to elders and individuals with compromised health. Please do not contact me to run errands for you if you are able and in good health.”

She asked readers to share the post. The calls came quickly. Just a couple at first, but more and more as her friends returned from school in the United States and overseas. They all had to self-isolate for 14 days, so they couldn’t do anything for their own grandparents who were shut in. Katz stepped in.

“That was just kind of a no-brainer for me,” she said. “I was happy to do those things, and still am.”

Katz has been shuttling to and from supermarkets and pharmacies all over Vancouver. Each outing brings her into the orbit of people who potentially carry the virus. Katz has heard the stories about the toll COVID-19 takes on its victims. She wears a mask and takes great care not to bring the virus to the people she’s helping.

She still makes the trips for her mom and grandmother, walks her two dogs, and also delivers food between two seniors homes twice a week as a volunteer for Congregation Beth Israel. It’s a lot to do, but, as far as Katz is concerned, it’s the least she can do.

“It definitely scares me that I could be exposing myself, but people need help,” she said. “I’d rather sacrifice myself than have a senior go into a grocery store and contract the virus instead.”

Many of the volunteers who were delivering food between the two seniors homes when COVID-19 arrived were older folks themselves. It was too risky for them to continue, so the congregation put out a call for new volunteers. Katz was among the first to step up, despite her busy exam schedule.

“Crisis brings out the best and the worst in people, and I think Ava is one of those examples of it bringing out the best,” said Krystine McInnes, volunteer coordinator for the synagogue. “The idea of selfless service and loving our neighbours as ourselves – she really embodies that.”

Helping people is in Katz’s blood. Her grandfather was a doctor for more than 60 years. She came to UBC thinking she would go into medicine eventually, too. Nothing during her first year has changed that. In fact, the COVID-19 outbreak has given her even more respect for the healthcare and support workers who keep our hospitals functioning every day.

“They are real heroes,” said Katz. “I have a huge respect for what it takes to provide care to so many people at a time like this and it reinforces my commitment to be a part of it.”

Share your COVID story

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of everyone in our local Jewish community, as it has impacted people around the world. Daily events like school, work, visiting with friends and family, as well as grocery shopping and other errands, have been transformed by public health recommendations.

The Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia has a responsibility to collect and document history as it happens – and needs your help to document this historic time. What are the important aspects of this moment that our community should recall years from now?

Each of us is experiencing this crisis in our own unique way, and the Jewish Museum and Archives wants to gather as many of those experiences as possible. Not sure what to say? The museum can help with that. The JMABC has recruited the assistance of Carly Belzberg, a specialist in guided autobiography, who will be helping community members put their experience into words.

The museum would like to know how daily routines around your house, including work, school and fitness have changed; how you’re staying in touch with family and friends; and what Jewish traditions look like for your family this year. For example, how did you celebrate Passover? How are you keeping Shabbat?

If you are interested in sharing your experiences, or simply would like to learn more about this project, contact JMABC archivist Alysa Routtenberg at archives@jewishmuseum.ca.

Doctors talk about COVID

Dr. Patty Daly and Dr. Eric Grafstein were the featured speakers of Temple Sholom’s May 1 Let’s Talk About It webinar. (photos from Temple Sholom)

Temple Sholom began the first of a series of four (possibly five) webinars, called Let’s Talk About It, on May 1 with a public health forum that featured guest speakers Dr. Patty Daly, Vancouver Coastal Health’s chief medical officer, and Dr. Eric Grafstein, the regional head of emergency at VCH and Providence Health Care.

Together, the doctors provided a report from the medical frontlines in Vancouver, as the city responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. They later addressed several concerns raised by members of the community.

Grafstein offered reassuring remarks for those who may be apprehensive about visiting emergency departments. “Emergency departments are a safe place to go during a pandemic,” he said. “If you have things like chest pains or symptoms that you think may be a stroke, then you should be coming to the emergency department.”

Emergency visits declined sharply after a state of emergency was declared in British Columbia on March 18, dropping by half compared to last year, suggesting that people might be holding off from visiting the hospital, he said.

“When people come to a hospital with suspect cases, they are segregated. People who do not have COVID are not put at risk,” Grafstein said. As of the webinar date, about two people per 1,000 who had come to an emergency department in VCH had tested positive for COVID-19, he said.

Physical distancing in the emergency department is done through placing COVID patients in a different area than other patients. The risk of infection is further reduced by fewer people coming to EDs and creating more space in the hospital, he said.

Grafstein said the supply of personal protective equipment for medical workers is secure.

Though the first case of COVID-19 in British Columbia was identified on Jan. 15, the spread of the virus to the region came in early March, likely the result of traffic between British Columbia and the state of Washington, the first area in the United States to experience an outbreak. The number of reported cases in VCH peaked in mid-March and there has since been a decline.

Vancouver’s numbers have compared favourably to those of Toronto and Montreal, and the vast majority of cases here have been mild, said the doctors. The population most at risk is the elderly. Many of the deaths in the region have occurred at long-term-care facilities.

“We’ve done a very good job of flattening the curve – not only in our region but across B.C.,” Daly said. “Our modeling suggests that we can think about lifting some of the measures we have in place.”

Indeed, the province announced its Restart Plan last week. Outpatient services and elective surgeries are to be among the first medical activities to be resumed. An increase in the number of outdoor spaces that the public can access is also planned.

Some daycares – for the children of essential workers – have already reopened, and it is hoped that students will return to schools before the end of the academic year. Bars, restaurants and personal service businesses, such as hairdressers, could potentially reopen in the coming weeks as well, as long as measures, similar to those in grocery stores, are in place.

Universities may return to classes in the fall, though many classes will remain virtual.

There have been few cases of COVID-19 in the region among those under the age of 18, and day camps for children might take place this summer, said Daly.

Gatherings for groups of 50 or more people, such as weddings, funerals and religious services, will be among the last restrictions to be lifted.

“It will be done slowly and in a way that doesn’t lead to a dramatic increase in cases,” Daly said.

“The ultimate solution is a vaccine,” she said.

Neither doctor could predict when a vaccine would be ready, though some trials appear promising. Both doctors reinforced the messages that officials everywhere have been giving for months: stay home if you are sick, cough or sneeze into your elbow, don’t touch your face and wash your hands frequently.

“Anyone with the classic symptoms for COVID – fever, shortness of breath, cough, loss of sense of smell, nausea, diarrhea – should be tested,” Grafstein stressed.

Calling 811 will provide a person with the nearest testing facility. Every positive result is followed up and people who may have had close contact with that person are reached and advised to stay home for 14 days.

VCH covers a population of 1.25 million people, encompassing not just Vancouver but Richmond, the North Shore, the Sunshine Coast and some rural communities, such as Powell River. As of May 8, there had been 866 reported cases of COVID-19 within the VCH region; of those, 78 patients have died and 583 have recovered and discontinued isolation.

“As we open things up, we are doing everything we can to prevent a second wave. We need to also continue to help the most vulnerable,” Daly concluded.

Convened by Temple Sholom’s Rabbi Dan Moskovitz, the webinar was co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and was attended by more than 200 people. A video recording of the event can be found on Temple Sholom’s website and on YouTube.

Other talks in the Temple Sholom series have been discussions on financial planning and on effective parenting; a session on estate planning is scheduled for May 20.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Uniting in significant times

For some, this pandemic has been lonely. For families with children, like mine, it’s a lot of togetherness and work. The offer to listen to deep thinkers from three religious traditions by myself for an hour was a rare chance. I’m busy – homeschooling, working, cooking and constantly being “in community” with my twin 8-year-olds. We’re missing our relatives, school and social gatherings, but I’m working constantly. During this pandemic, I’m almost never physically alone.

For an introvert like me, this has been hard. So, I jumped at the chance to cover a webinar with religious insights on the pandemic.

While we’re physically isolated, we’re also more connected by technology than ever before. This is how moderator Dr. Reinhard Krauss began a Zoom webinar, hosted by the American Jewish University, called “Muslims, Jews and Christians: Coming Together in Extraordinary Times.”

The three panelists were all distinguished educators who do interfaith dialogue. Each also offered their personal take on their religious traditions. Rabbi Dr. Elliot Dorff shared Jewish insights, Sister Deborah Lorentz, a member of Sisters of Social Justice, offered a Catholic perspective and Jihad Turk, the president and founder of Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School, spoke about Islam.

Much of the webinar highlighted our faith communities’ shared values, including strong support of science and medicine as a way forward. All three panelists, speaking from their faith traditions, pointed out the risky behaviour of extremists who have chosen to ignore medical advice around social distancing. Whether it’s ultra-Orthodox Charedim gathering illegally in Brooklyn or churches choosing to meet on Easter, the consensus was that these choices to disregard social distancing science were crazy. They were, according to Dorff, against Jewish law in terms of saving a life. Jewish teachings regarding social distancing, illness and separation go all the way back to Leviticus.

The need to stay put and social distance is in Islamic teachings, too. Turk quoted a 1,400-year-old hadith (saying of the prophet Mohammed) that said: “Usama b. Zaid said the Prophet said: ‘If you hear of a plague in a land do not enter it; and if it breaks out in the land where you stay, do not leave.’”

All three faith communities talked about the history of community and our traditional strengths in gathering together. Sister Deborah mentioned St. Benedict’s teachings about living in community together. This, she said, is a longstanding support system that we all need.

However, when we can’t gather, we must find other solutions. Catholics must look inward and find “the Jesus Christ within” to gain strength, she said.

Dorff talked about how, when we as Jews are isolated, we miss the most routine things, like going to a movie theatre or grocery store – and then we must innovate. He used a personal anecdote to explain a Jewish historic pattern, mentioning how, for the first time, he and his wife were using technology to chat virtually with all four of their adult children and their families at once. They’d replaced their usual Sunday afternoon movie outing with a virtual family gathering. This had never occurred to them before the pandemic. In isolation, they missed their routine and, therefore, innovated.

The most painful loss for many of us was not being able to gather physically for big holidays – Passover, Easter and, now, Ramadan. Ramadan is an intensely communal holiday, in which families join every evening for iftar to break their fast. Many Muslims also gather at mosques to break their daily fast, and to pray together. Yet, none of that can happen this year. Yes, there are virtual events, but it’s not the same as being together.

So, people must change their routines and pray at home. Turk spoke of “challenging people to work at home. Develop and refine the art of supplication, reaching out from your heart to G-d to what you are most in need of. Strengthen that muscle.”

All three panelists said almost in unison that things should not “return to normal” when it comes to our great societal inequities. Feeding, clothing and housing those in need were recurrent themes. Sister Deborah spoke about how, despite all the struggles that this experience might cause, it also might offer us great gifts. It’s up to us to do the work and find the gifts we’re being taught.

These reflections provided me with food for thought. I was struck by the notion that during this Ramadan, Muslims must work hard to pray at home and “strengthen that muscle when it comes to opening yourself up to G-d.” Often, when I pray in Jewish communities, we’re reciting the prayers but not doing that introspective work.

Sister Deborah’s notion that we must find the gifts in a challenging time was also a perspective that I struggled to find on my own. She encouraged everyone to use this to make change in the future – to envision the way we can take responsibility to right wrongs and inequities we all see in society.

The webinar ended with encouragements to show our love to our families, our friends and the world. We must return to society with, in Dorff’s words, “a greater appreciation for people who do service for us. Farmers, truckers, medical professionals, teachers – we need each other.”

The hour I spent alone listening to this panel discussion was precious. It’s rare indeed for parents to be alone at all during this pandemic! As a bonus, I also heard ideas common to all three faiths: science, work, social responsibility, community connection, and the need to love one another. All these are rooted in Jewish tradition. It’s well worth considering these common and important ideas as we face our lives in a new, post-pandemic landscape.

Joanne Seiff has written regularly for CBC Manitoba and various Jewish publications. She is the author of three books, including From the Outside In: Jewish Post Columns 2015-2016, a collection of essays available for digital download or as a paperback from Amazon. Check her out on Instagram @yrnspinner or at joanneseiff.blogspot.com.

Blessings during COVID-19

It’s far too easy to think of all the hardships and sacrifices that have come with COVID-19. They’re ubiquitous and abundant. They’re in our face the second we step outside our front door, turn on the TV or go online. A barrage of bad news. A surfeit of sadness. A plethora of pathogens. A deluge of disease. Stop me anytime.

It’s getting to be too much. But that’s beside the point. As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau keeps telling us, “moistly,” and with practised gravitas, “We are all in this together.” Sadly, that is no consolation. There is one thing that does help though: making a habit of feeling grateful. While some of you will shut me down right now as being a cliché, that’s where I’m coming from.

Every day or two, when I go for a short walk in my neighbourhood, I look around and wonder when spring happened. How is it that I missed seeing the nascent buds on the magnolia trees, which are now strutting their huge pink flowers like botanical catcher’s mitts? When did the hydrangeas arrive at the party? And when did everyone start walking around the local park in facemasks and latex gloves?

Nothing I have experienced in my 64 years comes close to this COVID-19 pandemic. Same goes for most of us, I’m sure. There is nothing to compare it to, thank G-d. I am at a loss for synonyms. Only antonyms hit the mark: normal, regular, run-of-the-mill. We will likely never return to what we knew as normal ever again. At least not the same variety. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps we will come to redefine normal in an even better light. I know one thing: most people have become kinder, more thoughtful, more aware. This is huge.

In the face of the overwhelming upheaval, illness and sadness we’ve been witness to, I choose to feel grateful. Because there are always gems among the dross, moments of pure beauty and holiness. I assure you, I’m not some Pollyanna who views life through rose-coloured glasses all the time. However, challenged by what’s going on around us, I need to believe that there is still much to be thankful for in this COVID-19 world. For my part, that includes my health, my husband, my family. As well as these sunny days. The last remnants of snow on our pristine mountains. Less traffic. Clear skies. A shocking dearth of commerce. My pension. Food in the freezer and enough pasta to last until I’m 90. I feel luckier than most.

I can’t begin to comprehend the suffering that’s going on around me. Not only the illness and death that’s affecting families and communities all over the world, but the sheer panic and anxiety from loss of jobs, loss of homes, not enough to eat, wondering what’s next. But I’m shored up knowing that there are still people out there who are putting themselves at risk to help others, by delivering food, picking up medications and, of course, all those frontline workers who turn up every day.

For now, I take comfort in the little things, which, I’m realizing have become the big things. Like a walk in fresh air, and hearing good news of any sort. It doesn’t take much. The drugstore has facemasks and latex gloves in stock – woo hoo! I can finally buy Lysol wipes again – victory! Oh, how perception has shifted. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that this pandemic has taught us to reevaluate our priorities.

Time and a sense of accomplishment are a whole other story. At the beginning of the pandemic, the pattern of my days rotated around things instead of ideas and concepts. Back then, I thought a productive day was accomplishing this:

Buying a box of disposable facemasks at Canadian Tire.
Spending two hours and successfully finding a store that sells alcohol swabs.
Making fried matzah with cinnamon and honey bananas for my husband.
Ironing our laundry.
Dusting (two rooms).
Successfully (or not?) diagnosing myself with eczema from constant and somewhat obsessive handwashing.

Not much, but at least I did things instead of sitting around binge-watching Netflix all day. As the weeks passed, I began to tip the scales by attending online seminars throughout the day; some from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, some from Chabad, and others.

Between running around doing, and sitting and learning, I struggle to distinguish between wasted time and purpose. It seems almost counterintuitive, even ridiculous, to call anything purposeful right now. I mean, how much purpose can we have during a pandemic? Who can we influence for the good? What kind of mitzvot can we do?

Believe me – or don’t – but the answers to those questions are: lots, many, and endless. It takes scant energy to say hello to a stranger on your daily walk and ask how they’re doing. People just need to experience or see one good deed to carry it forward. There are countless ways to do a mitzvah – phone an elderly relative or friend; buy a few extra groceries and give them to someone in need; make a meal for your neighbour and deliver it to their doorstep. Simple. Simple. And simple. Just get outside yourself.

The world, and we humans, are not that complicated. It doesn’t take Herculean effort or huge sums of money to pull someone out of an emotional hole. It simply takes an open heart. We spend countless hours building our bodies so they can withstand the weight of the world. Now it’s time to build our hearts. In fact, there is no better time than right now. So go forth and be your best self – for yourself, and for others.

Shelley Civkin is a happily retired librarian and communications officer. For 17 years, she wrote a weekly book review column for the Richmond Review. She’s currently a freelance writer and volunteer.

Clearing the decks

In every grouping of humans, there is a leadership structure. That’s the way it works for humans. That’s the way it works for animals, too, when they organize in groups.

Generally, for animals, it’s a combination of smarts and strength that wins the day, with physical strength often being an important part of the equation. The same must have been true for humans in our primitive days, and still is to an extent. In some periods of human history, there were those who were able to establish dynasties, where successive generations achieved leadership by right of birth, sometimes sanctioned by what was called “divine right.” The deity was called in to account for the continuing rule by a family in tribal or national context.

In more recent times, leadership has often been gifted to those who exhibited merit, rather than pure might. Those who were successful at their life tasks were called upon to serve in leadership roles to the benefit of those for whom they took responsibility. Therefore, many in leadership positions are more advanced in age, except in the most competitive arenas.

Well, guess what? There is suddenly a new selector in town! Coronavirus!

Some people are forecasting that we will see as much as three-quarters of the world’s population infected by COVID-19. Try as we might, and even as we may be successful in flattening the curve, most of us will eventually have to face the test of living through an infection by the virus. If we can find a vaccine, that will alleviate the losses. But, for the next year-and-a-half, at least, many of us will have to face the test. If our healthcare systems can sustain themselves under the onslaught, again, the losses will be fewer. If not, the choices will favour the younger and those more likely to survive. What this all means is that those who are older, those who are more likely to be among those in leadership, will be more likely to be among the fallen. Fate has taken a hand in our succession planning.

I am among the somewhat longer in the tooth, facing my 86th birthday. It is apparent that, in the current environment, this epistle may turn out to be my eulogy. Not many in my situation have the opportunity to deliver this kind of message ahead of time.

I have had meaningful work and the satisfaction of making, in my own mind, a worthwhile contribution to the lives of others, of my fellows. I feel my parents would have been proud of me. I had the joy of fathering children who have turned out to be good human beings. I have had the joy of finding and living with the love of my life. Flawed as I am, I am content. I am among the fortunate in this world. I am not abandoning the race but I am prepared for whatever the future holds. I wish the same for all my fellows.

This event we are living through is a feature of any life on any planet in our cosmos. A meteor struck our globe millennia ago, causing a global winter, which doomed the dinosaurs and permitted a mammalian ascendancy. Homo sapiens has prospered. We have survived plagues and influenzas. We have conquered many communicable diseases. We have managed to increase our food production capabilities so we did not starve when our numbers on this planet increased so much that our wise men believed we were doomed. We have continued to consume that arable land for our structures at a rapid pace and yet survive.

We are facing a crisis in the way we pollute our air and our waters, one we have yet to come to terms with. Rising temperatures on our globe may yet reach a point of no return. The pandemic we are facing, as other life forms on our planet seek their place in the sun, may turn out to be the least of the problems we will have to cope with.

In the meantime, this pandemic is clearing the decks of those in the age range I share. I don’t know about you, but it has captured my full attention – I can feel the target on my back. Keep your physical distance, please!

Max Roytenberg is a Vancouver-based poet, writer and blogger. His book Hero in My Own Eyes: Tripping a Life Fantastic is available from Amazon and other online booksellers.

Open letter to the community from the JI

Dear Reader,

I hope this letter finds you well, and that you are finding ways to cope with the new reality that COVID-19 has brought on all of us so suddenly. I’ll admit to moments of struggle in maintaining a positive outlook but, mostly, I am determined that, together, we will get through this crisis and return to some variation of normalcy.

For more than 20 years, I have owned and published the Jewish Independent, which started its life as the Jewish Western Bulletin in 1930. For nine decades, the paper has recorded our community’s stories, as well as news and commentary about the wider world. We have reported on the ordinary and the extraordinary, fleeting trends and paradigm shifts. We have covered happy and sad occasions, and promoted the work and activities of countless individuals and organizations. Past issues of the paper comprise a distinctive archive of our community in this place over time.

I am determined to continue this vital calling. Ensuring continuity and the thriving of Jewish life here in Canada and worldwide is no less urgent or relevant than it was in 1930. These are difficult times for many people, organizations and businesses and, among the many closures in recent days, the Canadian Jewish News ceased publication and Winnipeg’s Jewish Post & News suspended its print version indefinitely.

I firmly believe that the Jewish Independent is one of our community’s invaluable resources and that we have an important role to play during the pandemic, both in keeping the community up to date on one another’s events, initiatives and well-being, as well as offering some respite from the at-times overwhelming bad news.

For years, this publication has been a labour of love for me and a dedicated staff of a few employees and a cadre of freelance writers. As we face the coming weeks or months of increasingly dismal advertising revenues, I am making an unprecedented appeal for support from you, our readers.

I am proud to produce independent Jewish journalism that has been recognized internationally by scores of awards and accolades. I am proud that, on a very modest budget, we have managed to produce a regular publication that informs, inspires, engages, exasperates, amuses, entertains, provokes and reflects in ways that unite Jewish British Columbians across all religious, cultural, political and social divides.

You subscribe to this paper or pick it up for free at a local depot, I hope, because you see the value in this, which is why I am asking for your help through this deeply challenging time. Please consider supporting the paper through one or more of the following actions:

Renew your subscription – or start subscribing. When you receive your annual subscription notice, please renew as quickly as you are able, as the fewer reminder notices I have to mail, the less expensive the process. If you pick up the JI at one of our many depots, please seriously think about subscribing or donating to help fund the creation, printing and distribution of the paper you now hold in your hands.
Consider an esubscription instead of a traditional subscription. You’ll still receive the full contents of the paper, just in digital form. It saves you money and it’s more economical for us, too. (However, if you still like to hold the paper in your hands and pass it around the house, please continue to get the print edition!)
Give a gift subscription. For generations, B.C. families have stayed connected to one another and our community through the pages of our newspaper. Keep the tradition alive with gift subscriptions to younger family members.
Advertise with us. We know that your business or organization needs support, too. The most effective, affordable way to reach our community is through these pages, as it has been for 90 years.
Send a greeting. You can send a message in any issue of the paper. Birthday, bar/bat mitzvah, wedding, anniversary, graduation greetings – any time is a good time to celebrate our loved ones. But now it is especially welcome. Something as affordable as a business card-size insertion is a fun way to mark a special occasion – and it sends a double message: you support thriving, independent Jewish journalism.
Make a donation. This is the easiest and most immediate way you can help. It’s true, we’re not a charity. I can’t give you a tax receipt. But, as I’ve said, this has been a labour of love for a small group of dedicated individuals. We need you now more than ever.

You can subscribe or contribute online at jewishindependent.ca/support-the-ji via PayPal, by making an etransfer to editor@jewishindependent.ca or by calling the office at 604-689-1520.

On behalf of the staff and freelancers of the Jewish Independent, thank you to everyone who has reached out and helped the JI over the years, including recent weeks, and to all of you for taking the time to consider these words. Please stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Ramsay, Owner/Publisher
cramsay@jewishindependent.ca
PO Box 47100 RPO City Square, Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 4L6
604-689-1520 • jewishindependent.ca

Choose to be and to do good

As Jews, we’re acutely aware of our core Jewish values: help others, perform mitzvot, respect human dignity and life, love your neighbour as yourself, act morally, save lives, repair the world. But do we actually do those things? As we’ve heard before, it’s the duty of every single person to leave the world better than he or she found it.

During this unprecedented time, when the world is reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, now, more than ever we need to remind ourselves of Jewish morals and ethics. And be better Jews.

Exceptional times typically bring out both the worst and the best in people. I’m choosing to focus on the best, though. For instance, folks around the world going outside at a set time every day to make noise and show their gratitude for frontline workers – and not just the doctors, nurses and caregivers, but also grocery store cashiers, letter carriers, pharmacists, delivery people, tradespeople, chefs and taxi drivers. Anyone and everyone who puts themselves in harm’s way each day, to keep us safe, fed and healthy.

If we don’t, as a society, learn the value of showing gratitude and generosity in desperate times, we become a society without a soul. If we think only of ourselves, we become lacking in conscience and void of morality.

What I know for certain is this: if a Jew needs something, another Jew should always step up and help out. It’s what we are supposed do. It’s what we’ve always done, most of the time. It might even be embedded in our DNA. In fact, we’re commanded to do it. Here are some tips for being a better Jew during COVID-19 (and always):

Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others. This may sound trite and over-used, but it’s true: your health is everything. I have suffered a long and serious illness and it’s shown me that nothing is more important than having your health. Unless it’s faith.
Be an active participant in life – this is not just a long lunch break. There is more to life than Netflix and reading (says the retired librarian). There are meaningful things you can be doing with all your spare time now. Think about where you can be of service, and whom you can help.
Practise random acts of kindness, compassion and loving care for your fellow human being – remember the Golden Rule. It can be something as simple as thanking a healthcare worker or letter carrier you see walking on the street. It doesn’t take much to show someone that they’re needed and appreciated.
Practise generosity – share, don’t hoard. Surprise a family member or friend with a meal or small gift that might just make their day. It can be something as simple as an extra few rolls of toilet paper or a container of disinfectant wipes (COVID-19 gold). Something that lets them know you’re willing and happy to share. Just remember physical distancing! A friend of mine recently brought me some extra face masks she had on hand (again, coronavirus gold).
Offer to do errands (grocery shopping, picking up a prescription, walking a dog, etc.) for family, friends or acquaintances in need. Be someone’s hero. People won’t always be comfortable asking for help, so be proactive and offer, if you can.
Cultivate faith (emunah) and trust (bitachon) in G-d, that everything will be OK. Life is easier when you have a higher power on your side and understand that there are many things you can’t control.
Check in regularly with single friends and seniors, in particular. Isolation can be devastating, especially when it’s ongoing. Even if you can just wave to a friend or family member through a window, that might just be their only human connection all day (or all week). It costs nothing and it’s priceless. Small gestures can have big impacts. Help people feel part of their community.
Show gratitude every day, because there is always something for which to be grateful. Whether it’s big (your good health) or small (cherry blossoms on the trees), appreciate the abundance in your life. It’s everywhere you look. Just keep your eyes open. And get out there at 7 p.m. every day and clap your hands or bang your pots and pans, to show your thanks to all the frontline workers who turn up for us every single day to make our lives easier. We are one big family – show the love!
Keep in mind the social and economic impacts the COVID-19 pandemic is having on everyone. Be sensitive to the situations of those less fortunate than yours. If you can, offer financial help, food or any other kind of assistance when you see the need.
Volunteer your time delivering food or supplies to others if you’re healthy and able. Contact and get involved with your local synagogue, Jewish Family Services, the Kehila Society or any other organization, Jewish or non-Jewish, working to alleviate the many needs right now.
Stay positive – for yourself and others. Positivity is the best medicine during this stressful time.
Be your best self. Let your innate goodness shine through. Remember we each have a tiny piece of divine soul within us.
Do mitzvot – tip the scales for good.
Give tzedakah. You don’t have to be a millionaire to make a difference in someone’s life. Every little bit helps.
Study a bit of Torah or other spiritual texts, if you’re so inclined.
Recite Psalms, if you’re so inclined. (I have a copy that includes English commentary, and this makes it so much more meaningful when I read them. It started out slowly for me, but now I find huge comfort in reading Psalms. Why not give it a try?)
Participate in some online classes or listen to speakers via Zoom video presentations. There’s a lot of inspiration and new perspectives to be gleaned, and goodness knows we could all use some of that right now.
Keep busy by finding purpose in your life. This is so important, especially right now, when there is so little to distract us from the devastation of COVID-19. Try to look for the good in every situation – it will serve you well. I’ve been on both sides of that wall and believe me when I say that staying positive will make your life much easier.

Here are some simple rules to live by (unknown source): help others without being asked; help people who cannot help you; help without the expectation of return; help many people; do the right thing the right way.

Remember that, every second of every day, we make choices. Choose to be good and do good. You can’t go wrong with that.

Find comfort in music

Vancouver singer-songwriter Haley K. Turner will release her first full-length album on May 29.

“I have gone back and forth questioning whether now is the right time to release a new album,” she told the Independent. “But here’s the thing. Long before our lives were turned upside down, I titled my album in from the dark and, if right now is not the time to bring each other back in from the dark, I don’t know when is. This record was written with the intention of leaving people feeling a little more understood and a little less alone, myself included. So, while it feels like I am taking a huge leap of faith, releasing it while people may be too overwhelmed to notice, it also feels like I don’t have much of a choice. We don’t know what the future holds, and I happen to be fortunate to have completed the recording back in January. I want to share it with anyone who might find it comforting right now.”

A couple of singles from the album will be released earlier in May. Notably, “Loved You Perfectly” will come out May 8 for Mother’s Day that weekend. For the song video, Turner asked people to send in a short recording about their mom.

“Being privy to the sweet messages people have sent in for their moms is such a wonderful feeling,” she said. “I’m pretty sentimental, and it’s more of the thought about the moms’ reactions than the video itself that gives me little heart flutters.

“‘Loved You Perfectly,’” she explained, “is a song about motherhood, or at least my experience with it. With all the doubts and worries and mistakes, there is just as much love and growth and connection. I know I can’t be the only one who feels like I mess up all the time. And this song is my way of acknowledging that we can’t get it all right all of the time, but, even though we aren’t perfect, we love our kids perfectly. It felt like a good song to release around Mother’s Day.”

Speaking of motherhood, the Independent last spoke with Turner when she entered that phase of her life. “I went into labour with my son at 4:45 a.m. the same morning you interviewed me [by email] for my debut EP,” she said. “A couple years later, my daughter was born.” Her son is now 8, her daughter, almost 6. (For the article about the EP Ready or Not, see jewishindependent.ca/oldsite/archives/april12/archives12april06-29.html.)

“Making music and writing has always been a part of how I process emotions,” said Turner. “If I am not writing, I am usually bubbling up inside with some uncomfortable feeling and that never ends well. While it took me awhile to pick up the guitar and really get back into preparing for an album after starting a family, I was always writing in my head, even if it never made it onto a piece of paper.”

Having kids has changed her approach to life. “Well, I have a deeper admiration for my own mom now,” she said. “Yes, Mom, you! I have a greater understanding of the complexity of a mother and child relationship. I have spent the last couple of years processing who I was before kids and who I am now (hint, I’m still figuring that out) but, while a lot has changed, the really neat thing I have discovered is that, when it comes to making art, my intentions are still pretty much the same. Having little ones reinforced my ideas about media and made me more determined to create content that, hopefully, leaves this world better and not more wounded.”

The album in from the dark is more edgy than the EP Ready or Not. Last fall on Facebook, Turner posted what she described as a more cheery song than she had in awhile, but “Hey You” didn’t make the cut to the album.

“In order for me to commit to recording a song, I need to feel really connected to it,” she explained. “When I am writing, I often get emotional during the beginning of the songwriting process and that’s how I know it’s something I can stand behind. The lyrics mean everything to me, and it’s something I spend a ridiculous amount of time agonizing over.

“If I could have, I would have made a 20-song record because I have so many more songs I wish I could have included…. This album was about artistic exploration for me and testing out a few new sounds, stepping out of my comfort zone and letting my curiosity be the driving force even when my self-doubt wanted to weigh in. ‘Hey You’ felt like it would fit better on a different album, perhaps a future collection of songs for my kids, as a way to share with them all the emotions that come with parenting, along with my hope for them in this world. It felt comfortable to sing and play and I wanted to choose things that felt a bit more unsafe.

“Also,” she added, “in this recording process, my producer, Tom Dobrzanski, listened to all my demos and we chose songs that we both connected to. I believe that people have to be into what they are working on or it will be forced. So, we selected songs that felt right to both of us.”

In addition to Dobrzanski – who has worked with Said the Whale, and who used to be in the Zolas as a musician – on keyboards, Turner worked with several other notable musicians on in from the dark: Marcus Ambramzik, bass (the Belle Game, the Matinee); Brian Chan, cello (Jordan Klassen, Heis, Zaac Pick); Niko Friesen, drums (Hannah Georgas, Jane Siberry); Stephanie Chatman, violin; Julien Amar, piano on “For the Win”; and Adrian Glynn, vocals (solo artist as well as his band, the Fugitives). Turner is the lead singer and plays the acoustic guitar.

“I am beyond lucky to have had so many wonderful humans on this project,” said Turner, who reached out to Glynn a couple of years ago at an open mic.

“At the time,” she said, “I didn’t have any actual plans in the works to record, but I asked him if he would be up for singing on a song in the future. I have always loved male and female vocals together and it was on my bucket list.”

Through Glynn, she connected to Dobrzanski, who owns Monarch Studios, and, she said, “before I was even ready, I had committed to making an album!” She credits Dobrzanski for bringing “in an amazing team of Vancouver-based musicians who he had worked with before.”

Most of songs on in from the dark were written over the past few years, “and some even within the weeks leading up to recording,” said Turner. “‘Better’ is an older one of mine and it surprises me how relevant it still is. ‘Better’ is my way of processing how deeply women are affected by the expectations we have of them, specifically in our appearances. It’s about how we show up for each other, and expresses my desire to help create a world where we aren’t so hard on each other and hard on ourselves. I wrote it in my early 20s, before kids, and I am furious that it feels like it is taking forever to make these positive shifts.

“I have a background in TV and film and the constant critiques on my image and weight were damaging to say the least,” she explained. “When I released my debut EP, I had just stepped back from pursuing my career in acting because I wanted to be in creative control of the image and content I was putting out. I was so upset that I couldn’t do that as a 20-year-old actress – that it was always about looks and physique and never about my work – and so I decided to rebel by not putting my face on my album. I didn’t want that to weigh into whether people listened or not.”

Of all the songs on the album, Turner said, “‘Stay With Me (Jacob’s Song)’ holds a special place in my heart. It is dedicated to someone I loved dearly who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 8. It was the hardest song to record on the album because its essence is out of my control. I don’t think it will ever be good enough in my eyes, but I sure tried. I know that talking about people who are no longer here often brings pain and sadness to the surface. It was my hope to make a song that created space to honour and reflect and remember.”

Amid the pandemic, Turner is trying “to stay hopeful and focus on the blessings that will come out of this,” she said. “I’m processing the experiences slowly and watching for the creation and innovation that will help us heal.

“Prior to COVID-19, I was trying to engage in conversations with people, many of whom were women, about isolation, although I wasn’t phrasing it like that. Motherhood can be terribly isolating – beautiful and wondrous and lonely. Pretty much anyone anywhere can feel alone even with people swarming around them. I have been mulling over that thought for quite some time, so I ask myself, what’s different now?

“What’s different is that almost everyone is experiencing it in some form now, and perhaps it won’t be so hard to talk about it after things settle and people are able to integrate themselves back into their communities. I don’t think this feeling of isolation is new, I just think there is less to distract us right now. I really believe that, if we can be more transparent as humans, we will feel more connected. So, that’s what keeps me positive, I guess. If we felt alone before all these unexpected changes, the blessing is that we will come out with a stronger sense of what was missing and how to fulfil that for ourselves and others.”

She added, “I also have a greater appreciation for those who have shown up and worked hard to bring people together, like our teachers and artists everywhere and people in all types of service industries. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you rely on someone or something until it’s not accessible anymore. I have a better understanding of the different skill sets people have, and how I value them will be forever changed.”

For more information on Turner and her music, visit her website, haleykturner.com.

Emanuel busy making music

Megan Emanuel of the band Hello Victim. She and bandmates Adam Wilson and Spencer Daley released the single “Out of It Alive” on April 2. (photo from Megan Emanuel)

Megan Emanuel released a new single this month with her band Hello Victim and, last month, she launched a bi-weekly virtual concert series with fellow Jewish Vancouverite Andy Schichter, co-owner of Park Sound Studio.

“The concerts benefit local artists who have lost their income due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions,” Emanuel wrote in an email to the Independent. “Our weekly goal is $1,000 to split amongst the artists … to cover things like groceries and basic bills. Anything over $1,000 is donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.”

The next concert will be live on Instagram (@parksoundbc) on May 2.

“Of course, the money isn’t the only important thing,” Emanuel noted, “and some of our favourite feedback from audience members has been their appreciation of the ability to feel somewhat ‘normal’ for a couple of hours, like there’s still a vibrant arts culture in Vancouver.”

Schichter has co-owned Park Sound Studio in North Vancouver with Emanuel’s fiancé, Dan Ponich, since 2017.

“When the pandemic hit, it was immediately apparent that musicians were going to be hit extremely hard,” Emanuel told the Independent. “Many artists work service industry jobs in order to maintain a lifestyle that allows for gig work and touring, and the rug was just pulled right out from under them and there seemed to be a need for relief. I contacted Andy because he is an organizational phenom and pretty familiar with putting shows together since Park Sound was hosting monthly showcases prior to all of this. We pulled the first virtual concert off days after chatting about it and were able to raise $1,200 overnight. Things have taken off immensely since.”

In addition to helping others, Emanuel is working on her own musical career. Hello Victim – comprised of Emanuel, Adam Wilson and Spencer Daley – released the single “Out of It Alive” on April 2. Produced and mixed by Ben Kaplan of Fader Mountain Sound (Mother Mother, Five Alarm Funk, Ninjaspy), the song is described as “a dramatic anthem for survivors of abuse.”

“We’ve all met the person this song is about,” Emanuel says in the press release, “That person who gives you a creepy ‘something about this is very wrong’ feeling in your gut.”

Ultimately, the song has a positive message. She explains in the release: “For those of us who are unlucky enough to become entangled with these types of people, times can get pretty scary and that toxicity stays with you for some time, even after they’re gone from your life…. This song is kind of like the phoenix’s flight; it’s the catastrophic rebirth from that very dark place when you realize that none of us gets out of this life alive, and the only justice that is in our individual power to serve is choosing to reject toxicity, move on from these people, and stop letting them live rent-free in our heads.”

Emanuel told the Independent that she first met Wilson in February 2018, while on an early-days date with her now-fiancé. As co-owner of Park Sound Studio, Ponich had been hired to handle sound for a music event at Luppolo Brewery, she said. “He texted me at some point during the night because my place was about a 10-minute walk away and, when I got there, I was introduced to a couple of his friends, one of whom was Adam (who he was playing in a band with at the time). Serendipitously, I’d made a Facebook post a matter of days prior along the lines of ‘girl seeks guitar player to write tell-all album with.’ I had just gotten out of a less-than-ideal relationship and I was at this point where I was ready to pull an Adele and sing about it where everyone could hear…. It took about five months for us to start working on music together.”

Emanuel liked the electronic compositions Wilson was creating for his Instagram stories, so she asked him if she could write a vocal melody and some lyrics for his music and, she said, “it took off from there and we went on writing remotely for awhile, sending each other voice notes of ideas over WhatsApp. When we started writing our song ‘Feel Slow,’ which we released back in July of 2019, Adam suggested we talk to his other bandmate Spencer about helping us out with writing a bass line. After working with him on that one tune, it was pretty clear he belonged in the band.”

Soon after the trio had finished a few songs, they were offered a spot at the Railway Club, which they accepted. “That ended up being my first live performance in eight years!” said Emanuel of that early 2018 gig.

“I learned a little while ago that I suffer from severe generalized anxiety disorder, so jumping back into live shows was a massive hurdle I had to figure out how to jump quite quickly,” she said. She attributed some of her ability to overcome that hurdle to Wilson and Daley, who, she said, “are not only incredible musicians, but amazing human beings who consistently make me feel safe and confident on stage.”

Emanuel has been in music since she was a kid, “with piano and voice lessons beginning at around 9. Pat Covernton taught me piano and Wendy Stuart was my voice teacher – both taught me for about 10 years. I also spent many, many summers in Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! at the JCC and participated in the Jewish Federation’s events for Yom Ha’atzmaut, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Hashoah.

“Since I can remember,” she said, “being a musician is literally the only thing I’ve ever been able to identify as my ‘dream.’… I started writing music when I was 14 and went on to play small venues throughout Vancouver. In my last year of high school, I participated in the JCC’s Battle of the Bands and became the first and only solo, non-rock artist to win first place.

“After high school, I began traveling – first to Israel, then New York, then Melbourne – which meant that I put performing my music on hold, but continued to write in the absence of an audience.”

Emanuel attended both Vancouver Hebrew Academy and King David High School.

“I think my Jewish day school upbringing shaped the questions I’m looking to answer when I write music,” she said. “I wouldn’t say that my music is religious in any sense, but there’s such a distinct method of thinking within the Jewish community that I think is probably the product of generations of Talmud study, and I often find myself hearing it most when I’m writing. What’s the truth? What’s the point? Why are we here? How can I connect?”

For more information on the band and to watch the video for “Out of It Alive,” visit facebook.com/hellovictimofficial. To find out about the next virtual Park Sound Studio concert, visit parksoundstudio.com.