‘Let my people go’…to the beach

When Corona was in the Holy Land, we said “let our people go…to the beach.” 

As COVID-19 appears to be retreating, people are rapidly demanding their freedom back from the crippling restrictions that the virus imposed on daily life. One such freedom appears to be on everyone’s mind, especially as the weather heats up, returning to the typical Tel Avivian past time, going to the beach.

Many restrictions have been relaxed, people can now gather in small groups, exercise, even visit grandparents, provided a face mask is worn, and that no one dares step foot on the seashore. 

This raises the question- why not? Many Israelis have answered this themselves, seeing it as a useless and unnecessary restriction that does nothing to slow the spread of Coronavirus, or protect lives. 

The law appears counterintuitive, that it is better for people to be crowded in a highly congested area along the boardwalk, rather than safely spaced upon the sand.  A layman may be forgiven for being confused as to why police continue to shoo beach-goers off the shoreline, and into a condensed and confined area upon the concrete. Even more so, when some lifeguards do not seem to be concerned that people are on the beach, but that they are in their area of responsibility, kindly asking visitors to move down the beach, forcing the public into a smaller condensed space. 

The majority of the public has dutifully complied with restrictions during the COVID pandemic, however, enough is enough. How can leaders expect citizens to follow the rules, if they themselves cannot offer any explanation of the logic behind their decrees?

No one wishes to endanger lives, everyone wishes for this crisis to end, but life must go on and some level of normalcy must be reached.