Yesterday in Bnei Brak was characterized by confusion. What, exactly, is prohibited? What is allowed? The city is now under a curfew from 7 p.m., but what if we get back at 7:15 because of traffic? Will we have to stay outside?
Instructions from various authorities were contradictory. Girls' schools, for example, have been cancelled, but the city announced that the heads of each Talmud Torah for boys could decide for themselves whether or not to open. Daycare centers are open, but nursery schools are not.
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But that's how it's been for the past week. On Sunday, we were told that there would be a lockdown on Monday. On Monday, the lockdown was cancelled, and an overnight curfew was instated, instead. That night, even the curfew was postponed by a day.
It's important to say that the regulations are important. If a lockdown or a curfew is needed, I and the rest of the residents will observe them, of course. But it's hard to see the reasoning in an overnight curfew. Children are home at that time of night, and in any case we are still permitted to walk to the closest synagogue even after 7 p.m. Weddings that were supposed to take place in the evening have been moved to the afternoon. So what good will the curfew do, when everything else is allowed the rest of the day?
After morning prayers on Tuesday, a dispute arose between worshippers at the synagogue where I pray. It was the same old argument – was coronavirus a thing, or was it just a "flu"? Thank God, even those who were shouting that they had read articles that proved that there was no reason to get hysterical and it was all a conspiracy by hospitals looking to increase their budgets, were wearing masks. Even if there is debate and there are differences of opinion in the city, as well as outrage at the government that is once again putting Haredi areas under a closure, the residents are disciplined.
Messages in Bnei Brak on Tuesday promised another "carrot," as well as the curfew: if the regulations were upheld and Bnei Brak could be upgraded to "orange" under the traffic light plan – and maybe even green – we could celebrate the High Holidays almost like we do every year. Otherwise, the closure would continue into the holidays and we would see a repeat of this year's locked-down Passover seder. That was more effective than any closure: Bnei Brak isn't willing to mark another holiday in isolation.
On Tuesday night, the streets of Bnei Brak were quiet and sad, and empty, because we are disciplined. Mournful, because once again we Bnei Brak-ites have been singled out. Elsewhere, everything is open, but for us, everything is closed.
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