What Israel got right — and early

Wednesday night marked the end of the eight-day Passover holiday in Israel, when Jews celebrate their emancipation from slavery in ancient Egypt. This year — in a twist of either metaphor or irony — it coincided with the initial easing in Israel of the most severe coronavirus-related restrictions.

Government officials and political leaders are thrashing out Thursday — and will likely carry on well into Friday morning — the contentious details as to exactly how Israel’s corona exit strategy will play out.

The liberation process began on Thursday morning, when bakeries reopened, serving up bread and leavened yeast products that observant Jews forswear on Passover, eating only flat, dry, crispy matza bread; a tangible reminder of the deprivation of our ancestors who fled Egypt without warning or time for the bread they were baking to rise. Matza — the “bread of affliction” — is meant to remind us, each year, of the gift of freedom and the autonomy to do more than exist. Affliction and humility, we relearn each year, are the necessary qualities to maintaining a core decency; to being ever watchful for abuses of power.

Also at Passover, large groups of extended family and friends gather for a festive dinner and ceremony on the first night: the seder. This year, the government engaged in proactive, aggressive publicity campaigns to impress upon all the critical importance of keeping seders small and celebrating with nuclear family only. So, when several among the leadership class — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin — shared photos of their gatherings with extended family on social media, in direct contravention of emergency measures, well, their special “liberty” was not very well received.

Widespread anger with open flouting of privilege has been exacerbated by the fact that compliance among the general population has been exemplary, on the whole. There were exceptions within sectors of the Arab and ultra-Orthodox Jewish populations, where noncompliance was initially quite widespread. Within a short time, however, it became clear that this was not the time to snub authority and that God and prayer, sadly, would not shield them from the ravages of COVID-19.

Just before Passover, in order to manage the noncompliant populations specifically, more severe lockdown measures were considered briefly for targeted areas, but they were abandoned due to protest. And, so, the “compromise” was to impose harsher measures on all for the duration of the holiday.

Yet again, the people were not amused.

The building frustration has been palpable, as uber zealous police officers stop joggers to ensure they are not straying more than 100 metres from their homes, or slap hefty fines on friends, distanced, sitting on park benches. The phenomenon of overly-enthusiastic beat cops, sadly, seems to be something of a global phenomenon. Perhaps such heavy-handed measures fly in dictatorships like China but they are proving to be highly unpopular in Israel.

The country is at a delicate juncture in balancing economic, social and health imperatives and pressures. The collective fuse is close to blowing, and those in positions of authority are taking note.

Overall, Israel earns high praise for its corona management. Social conditioning of the population began in January, a month before the first Israeli patient was diagnosed, on Feb. 22. Strict border controls were in place on Jan. 30 — initially just with respect to travellers from China — but additional countries were added as the pandemic spread.

Crafting and implementing effective social controls in times of crisis is an art in which Israel is expert, born of constant conflict. To ensure compliance it is imperative that the population understands the issues and receives clear, direct and timely information.

Social distancing, hygiene and multiple measures were well in place by mid-February. Healthcare facilities and supplies were sufficient to manage the initial expected surge, and the legendary Mossad combed the international market at the earliest signs of the looming contagion, ensuring ongoing supplies were forthcoming. From the earliest days, hospitals admitted only the most critical patients, diverting the mildly ill to hotels commandeered by the government. Isolation, in Israel, actually meant isolation, preventing contagion within families after a diagnosis. Mobile testing units were activated immediately and significant online medical consulting eased the systemic burdens. These were all easy and sensible measures.

Multiple clinical trials are underway in corona treatment units with therapeutic breakthroughs likely, and the healthcare system was never close to being at capacity. Collectively, these measures and public discipline have resulted in an extremely short lockdown period of just a month.

Throughout Passover “trial balloons” were floated, holding out hope that if the population continued to adhere to containment measures, the process of emerging into a new “corona normal” lifestyle, whatever that may be, would soon begin.

AT A DELICATE JUNCTURE IN BALANCING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND

HEALTH IMPERATIVES.

Big picture? It will be a gradual process that is anticipated to culminate in the full functioning of the economy and society by mid-May. Early next week, businesses that are export- and trade-dependent for supplies and markets will reopen, as will the tech sector. Public transportation will ramp up and the self-employed — a significant sector of the economy — will be fully mobile and able to engage in their trades and professions. Offices will reopen but initially with a small percentage of their usual staff complement.

At the other extreme of priorities is the reopening of malls and large “leisure” venues, such as sports stadiums and, likely, fitness centres. Hair and nail salons and other less “critical” functions are, sensibly, likely to remain lowest priority.

In between and as yet undecided is how and when to reopen schools, universities and storefront retail shops. In recent days, Denmark reopened schools for young children, and Israel is watching that experiment closely. The strong preference here is for educational facilities to resume operations in a phased approach, starting with the youngest (and more easily controlled students) with more granular rules regarding distancing to be sorted out over time.

A concern for educators and society, broadly, is that the strains of school closures have been felt more extremely among challenged socioeconomic demographics. Students from poorer families, at all levels, have been unable to benefit from online learning as effectively as their more affluent peers. Access to computers, internet, even a quiet corner in which to learn, are not equally available to all. The socio-economic divides meant to be addressed by universal education are, in corona times, heightened.

And then, there is the expected and healthy tension between officials from the ministries of health and those in finance and industry. Health authorities, understandably, prefer more extreme lockdown measures, which bring a greater degree of certainty to their domain. Those focused on economic interests, though, argue for a balance between an unsustainable, harsh lifestyle and the mobility required to restart the economy. The cost of an extended commercial pause, all recognize, will be measured not just in money but also in further social dysfunction and additional health problems.

With increased social and commercial openness will come continued waves of contagion and death. This certainty — of constant existential uncertainty — is seared into the Israeli psyche, following chronic war and security threats. COVID-19 has introduced a different and, in many ways, more formidable challenge. A killer virus, say the generals, is a singularly elusive and clever enemy.