Solitary Splendor

Let's start with three "what if" questions about being Jewish now, in 2020, when many of us are isolated and wondering: ​ 1) What if my connection to other Jews is not an in-person relationship? 2020 has been a year of isolation for most of us, Jewish or not. Families have been isolated together and couples and singles have been isolated, too. Each family, couple and individual has their own, ongoing story of coping with isolation.  (I wrote the following paragraphs prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, with  no idea just how much they would apply to every one of us in one way or another.) Membership in a local congregation may be impossible for Jews in rural areas and parts of the country where synagogues and temples have closed. Or it may require driving long distances to a shul on Shabbat, in heavy traffic or on lonely roads alone in the dark. Membership may be out of reach for people who simply cannot afford the dues. Security has become another concern for Jews gatherin