I made it through the Jewish holidays! Having 4
major holidays in 4 weeks is intense, but it’s definitely much more enjoyable
now that I’m able to get out and about for some of it. I went out for most of
the meals, and even made it to shul a few times! My doctor didn’t think it was
a good idea for me to be inside a crowded shul full of unmasked people, but I
tried sitting outside on a porch and looking through a door that opened into
the women’s section. That actually worked pretty well on the first day of Rosh Hashana,
but I was foiled on the 2nd day by jackhammering across the street
which made it impossible to hear anything. It rained on Yom Kippur so I didn’t
end up going to shul, but on Simchas Torah I was able to watch the dancing and
hear the Torah reading from my porch seat. I even ran inside for a minute to dance
VERY briefly before running back out to my anti-germ zone.
Sukkos was a little more difficult. On Sukkos we’re
supposed to eat all our meals in a sukka, which is a temporary outdoor hut. One
of the rules of the sukka is that the roof has to be made of plant matter,
which unfortunately is typically prone to growing mold. My doctor was very
concerned about the possibility of picking up a mold or fungal infection, so I
was not able to sit inside the sukka. I compromised by going to the Adlers for
a couple meals, because their sukka is open on one side against a glass wall
looking into their dining room. So I sat in the dining room and could at least
SEE the sukka through the wall and kind of feel like I was part of the festivities.
I guess sitting outside and looking in was kind
of a theme across all of my holidays. Whether sitting outside shul or outside
the sukka, unfortunately I’m often unable to fully participate in various
activities and instead have to come up with compromises to protect my health. Being
forced to separate myself definitely isn’t fun, but it’s still a vast
improvement over the height of Covid when I couldn’t do ANYTHING. Unfortunately
I’ll always have to live with some degree of separation regardless of Covid.
Mold in the sukka will always be an issue, as will crowds and all their
potential germs, since even a cold or flu could be deadly for me. It’s a
difficult balancing act figuring out an acceptable risk level that protects my
health while also allowing me to be part of my community and enjoy various
activities and outings. Sometimes I get sick of all the restrictions and push
the boundaries a little, but thankfully so far I’ve made it through those
moments without catching anything. Figuring out how to navigate between being
safe and living life is definitely still a work in progress.
As the weather cools off and there are fewer
outdoor activities, and as cold and flu season ramps up, it will definitely be
more difficult for me to safely get out and about. Winter definitely is not my
best season (except for when it snows enough for me to snow sculpt of course!).
Hopefully I’ll be able to find some relatively safe activities and social
opportunities to keep me busy until spring!
