Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Following is an article likely to be written by my now teenage grandchildren in 2050:

It was April 2020 during the famous Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic crisis that swept across the world. It was a wonderful time longed for with such fond memories. It was the best of times! Our family was isolated together at home. School, the little that we had, was conducted online at our convenience. No need to wake up early and get ready in a rush to get to school on time! Everyone woke up at a time they determined, not on a schedule as mandated by the Bored of Education.

We had three square meals daily of home cooked, well balanced meals. Our family sat at the table together and discussed the TV events of the day. The highlight of our TV day was the daily White House briefing starring our then President Donald Trump, and his sidekick Preacher Mike Pence. Boy were they a duo! Also on that TV show was Dr. Anthony Fauci, an Italian, who had a raspy voice with a Jewish sounding Brooklyn accent, and Dr. Deborah Birx who needed her teeth fixed and wore a different dress and wildly colorful scarf everyday. These two medical doctors had sensible things to say and did not hesitate to tell the hard truth, accurately as it was.

The days during the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic crisis were peaceful. Traffic was non-existent, and the air was clean and fresh. Airplane traffic was at a bare minimum, with hardly a plane to see in the sky overhead, or the roar of a jet engine to be heard. Crime was at a minimum as even the murderers, burglars, rapists, drug dealers, and gang bangers were afraid of contracting the Covid-19 virus. Gasoline was available on local Indian reservations for under $1. Hard to believe, but true!

Our family played board games and did puzzles as a family event. We enjoyed learning how to play Monopoly and Scrabble at that time in 2020. There were no interruptions to watch baseball, hockey, or basketball on TV in April 2020. Nope, just 24/7 of Coronavirus coverage on TV, highlighted by the Donald Trump Coronavirus briefings each day. We called it the Donald Trump Comedy Hour!

In 2020 a benefit of the Covid-19 crisis was the suspension of the NHL hockey season in March, sparing families in Western New York from having to endure suffering through watching the lowly Buffalo Sabres play out their 2020 schedule. On the flip side, area families were enthusiastically excited about the prospects for the 2020 Buffalo Bills who seemed poised to win the AFC East, especially with the departure from the New England Patriots of Tom Brady. Go Bills!

In April 2020 Passover was celebrated with the start of a new tradition. Instead of having a large gathering in one place for the Seder, only our immediate family gathered together, with family members from everywhere else joining the Seder by Zoom. This format enabled over 100 family members, many we had not seen in years, gather together for this important annual Jewish tradition. This format was so successful that we continue Seder by Zoom to this day. No more having to clean up the house from a large crowd, or hearing complaints from guests that the matzo ball soup was too salty, or the brisket too dry.

Another fond memory of the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic was the fact we could stay home from attending synagogue services. It was the beginning of Synagogue on Zoom. We could stay home, tune into a wide choice of services from synagogues throughout Buffalo and around the United States and Canada. No need to get dressed up for services! If the Rabbi’s sermon you were watching was boring, you could easily surf the Internet for a sermon you might enjoy. Services by Zoom also enabled the ability to multitask during services, something difficult to do the old fashioned way.

Now in 2050, nobody seems to go in person to synagogue services anymore because synagogues have gone to a Zoom only format. Funding is provided by sponsorships such as Manischewitz, Hebrew National, Kedem, Streit’s, and other suppliers of kosher products. Locally, due to competition in the funeral business, both Mesnekoff and Amherst Memorial Chapel are sponsors.

Back in 2020 colleges and universities were abundant and their immense campuses filled the landscape across America. The Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic crisis dramatically switched a college education to online programming, eliminating the need for expansive and costly college campuses like UB. Today for example, UB In Amherst has been converted into Senior Age Housing and nursing home facilities, and only the UB South Campus on Main Street remains for administrative purposes.

So, as you can see, April 2020 epitomizes the good old days. How we miss the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic crisis of 2020!

Those were the days!