This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/dining/passover-coronavirus.html
The article has changed 25 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| The Passover Rules Bend, if Just for One Pandemic | The Passover Rules Bend, if Just for One Pandemic |
| (3 days later) | |
| During the coronavirus outbreak, people have stocked up on shelf-stable items like beans, pasta and bread to sustain them through weeks of staying at home. | During the coronavirus outbreak, people have stocked up on shelf-stable items like beans, pasta and bread to sustain them through weeks of staying at home. |
| But, in an untimely coincidence, some Jews do not eat those foods during Passover, which starts Wednesday at sundown. Many are caught in a quandary: A pandemic pantry does limit potentially dangerous trips to the grocery store, but its contents are against tradition. | But, in an untimely coincidence, some Jews do not eat those foods during Passover, which starts Wednesday at sundown. Many are caught in a quandary: A pandemic pantry does limit potentially dangerous trips to the grocery store, but its contents are against tradition. |
| “There definitely is a cadre of people that are saying, ‘We don’t know how long this quarantine is going to last,’” said Rabbi Hara Person, the chief executive of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, an organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada. “‘We don’t know what food supplies are going to be, and so we don’t want to give our food away.’” | “There definitely is a cadre of people that are saying, ‘We don’t know how long this quarantine is going to last,’” said Rabbi Hara Person, the chief executive of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, an organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada. “‘We don’t know what food supplies are going to be, and so we don’t want to give our food away.’” |
| The holiday is a celebration of the Jewish people’s exodus from slavery in Egypt. In preparation, some people remove all leavened foods, or “chametz,” from their home, often by eating it or donating to people in need. (In certain communities, some of the last remaining morsels are burned.) Others keep some of it in their home, but sell it to a non-Jewish person, transferring ownership under Jewish law. With a wink and a nod, it’s theirs to reclaim when Passover ends. | The holiday is a celebration of the Jewish people’s exodus from slavery in Egypt. In preparation, some people remove all leavened foods, or “chametz,” from their home, often by eating it or donating to people in need. (In certain communities, some of the last remaining morsels are burned.) Others keep some of it in their home, but sell it to a non-Jewish person, transferring ownership under Jewish law. With a wink and a nod, it’s theirs to reclaim when Passover ends. |
| In Zichron Yaakov, a town in Israel north of Tel Aviv, Jewish residents often sell their chametz to Christian neighbors. After one sale, a buyer joked with Rabbi Yair Silverman, a founder of the Moed community, that he might actually keep the food this year if he is running short on supplies. “That’s great,” Rabbi Silverman said. “Then it’s a real sale.” | In Zichron Yaakov, a town in Israel north of Tel Aviv, Jewish residents often sell their chametz to Christian neighbors. After one sale, a buyer joked with Rabbi Yair Silverman, a founder of the Moed community, that he might actually keep the food this year if he is running short on supplies. “That’s great,” Rabbi Silverman said. “Then it’s a real sale.” |
| This year, Chabad.org has seen an increase in people using its online platform to sell their chametz, to an estimated 250,000 sales from about 90,000 in 2019. Normally, this transaction is often carried out in person because it’s “contractual,” like closing a house, said Rabbi Eitan Rubin, of Great Neck, N.Y. | This year, Chabad.org has seen an increase in people using its online platform to sell their chametz, to an estimated 250,000 sales from about 90,000 in 2019. Normally, this transaction is often carried out in person because it’s “contractual,” like closing a house, said Rabbi Eitan Rubin, of Great Neck, N.Y. |
| “Chametz” consists of just five grains — wheat, spelt, barley, oats and rye — but in practice, the list of foods to avoid is often longer. Many Ashkenazi Jews, whose ancestors came from Europe, also do not eat “kitniyot,” which includes most legumes, corn and rice. | “Chametz” consists of just five grains — wheat, spelt, barley, oats and rye — but in practice, the list of foods to avoid is often longer. Many Ashkenazi Jews, whose ancestors came from Europe, also do not eat “kitniyot,” which includes most legumes, corn and rice. |
| “We always followed the Ashkenazi tradition,” said Rachel Ringler, 64, a food writer and challah-baking instructor, who will be hosting her Seder over Zoom from Bridgehampton, N.Y., instead of with 30 people in her Manhattan apartment. “We never had rice. We never had lentils. We never even served string beans.” | “We always followed the Ashkenazi tradition,” said Rachel Ringler, 64, a food writer and challah-baking instructor, who will be hosting her Seder over Zoom from Bridgehampton, N.Y., instead of with 30 people in her Manhattan apartment. “We never had rice. We never had lentils. We never even served string beans.” |
| But she has a son-in-law who is half-Syrian, so she follows different Passover customs. | But she has a son-in-law who is half-Syrian, so she follows different Passover customs. |
| “I said, ‘We are all Syrian this year,’ ” she said, laughing. “We are stocked with lentils, and so we are going to use those lentils for Passover.” | “I said, ‘We are all Syrian this year,’ ” she said, laughing. “We are stocked with lentils, and so we are going to use those lentils for Passover.” |
| The Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of Conservative rabbis, has sanctioned eating kitniyot during Passover since 2015. The custom is widespread among Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews with ancestors from Spain, North Africa and the Middle East. In Israel, many follow suit. | The Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of Conservative rabbis, has sanctioned eating kitniyot during Passover since 2015. The custom is widespread among Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews with ancestors from Spain, North Africa and the Middle East. In Israel, many follow suit. |
| This year, the assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards also offered alternatives for traditional foods on a Seder plate: a roasted beet and rice in place of a shank bone and egg, and any vegetable or fruit “that can bring a tear to the eye” if horseradish isn’t available. | This year, the assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards also offered alternatives for traditional foods on a Seder plate: a roasted beet and rice in place of a shank bone and egg, and any vegetable or fruit “that can bring a tear to the eye” if horseradish isn’t available. |
| The substitutions won’t be the only thing different on the first night of Passover, which is usually celebrated with a large communal meal with family and friends. Some families who cannot be in the same house plan to cook from the same recipes, as if they were together. | The substitutions won’t be the only thing different on the first night of Passover, which is usually celebrated with a large communal meal with family and friends. Some families who cannot be in the same house plan to cook from the same recipes, as if they were together. |
| Self-isolating in various homes across the country, some observant Jews might need to embrace technology — normally a no-no — so they can celebrate together. (In Israel, which tightened travel restrictions specifically around the holiday, some are gathering before sundown to celebrate together via Skype or Zoom.) | Self-isolating in various homes across the country, some observant Jews might need to embrace technology — normally a no-no — so they can celebrate together. (In Israel, which tightened travel restrictions specifically around the holiday, some are gathering before sundown to celebrate together via Skype or Zoom.) |
| “We’ve seen rabbis across the board — but especially in the Orthodox community — lowering the bar for Passover,” said Mishael Zion, an Orthodox rabbi who with his father, Noam, wrote “A Night to Remember,” the popular modern version of the Haggadah, the text that guides the Seder. This year, he said, “it’s like the matzo, which is just the basics of bread, water and flour.” | “We’ve seen rabbis across the board — but especially in the Orthodox community — lowering the bar for Passover,” said Mishael Zion, an Orthodox rabbi who with his father, Noam, wrote “A Night to Remember,” the popular modern version of the Haggadah, the text that guides the Seder. This year, he said, “it’s like the matzo, which is just the basics of bread, water and flour.” |
| One ritual, burning chametz, has also been discouraged. Leaders of the Orthodox community in the United States have released a joint statement noting that without a controlled, communal fire, it can be risky, and overtax emergency responders. (In the past, some fires have gotten out of hand and caused injuries.) | One ritual, burning chametz, has also been discouraged. Leaders of the Orthodox community in the United States have released a joint statement noting that without a controlled, communal fire, it can be risky, and overtax emergency responders. (In the past, some fires have gotten out of hand and caused injuries.) |
| Participating in a Seder is the most widely observed Jewish holiday custom in the United States, according to a 2013 survey from the Pew Research Center. But this year, even more Americans are expected to host their own Seders, because they can’t gather with neighbors and friends, said Motti Seligson, a spokesman for Chabad. He said the organization had prepared nearly 250,000 Seder to-go kits — packages with matzo and other holiday foods — to distribute nationwide. | Participating in a Seder is the most widely observed Jewish holiday custom in the United States, according to a 2013 survey from the Pew Research Center. But this year, even more Americans are expected to host their own Seders, because they can’t gather with neighbors and friends, said Motti Seligson, a spokesman for Chabad. He said the organization had prepared nearly 250,000 Seder to-go kits — packages with matzo and other holiday foods — to distribute nationwide. |
| For Jewish supermarkets, smaller Seders can be bad for business. On a normal year, Zabar’s, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is jammed in the days before Passover. That’s what the store prepared for this year. It placed its normal orders, hoping customers would still host large gatherings, but that has not been the case. | For Jewish supermarkets, smaller Seders can be bad for business. On a normal year, Zabar’s, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is jammed in the days before Passover. That’s what the store prepared for this year. It placed its normal orders, hoping customers would still host large gatherings, but that has not been the case. |
| In-store traffic is down 40 to 50 percent, said Scott Goldshine, the general manager. Zabar’s usually caters about 400 Seders around the city each year, and ships another 400 dinners around the country. This year, he filled only about 300 orders in all. | In-store traffic is down 40 to 50 percent, said Scott Goldshine, the general manager. Zabar’s usually caters about 400 Seders around the city each year, and ships another 400 dinners around the country. This year, he filled only about 300 orders in all. |
| “I am going to have tons of brisket to sell for the next two years,” he said. | “I am going to have tons of brisket to sell for the next two years,” he said. |
| Sagging sales might not have rippled up the supply chain, though. Most Passover orders are filled three months in advance, said Jonathan Buring, the vice president of Champion Foods, one of the leading kosher ingredient distributors in the country. And in January, no one in America was really thinking about the coronavirus, so there is a backlog. | Sagging sales might not have rippled up the supply chain, though. Most Passover orders are filled three months in advance, said Jonathan Buring, the vice president of Champion Foods, one of the leading kosher ingredient distributors in the country. And in January, no one in America was really thinking about the coronavirus, so there is a backlog. |
| Updated June 12, 2020 | Updated June 12, 2020 |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| Rabbi Avram Mlotek, an Orthodox rabbi in New York, has been reminding members of his community that the first Passover was also held in a quarantine of sorts, as Moses told Jews to stay home to protect their firstborn sons from the 10th plague, remembered during the holiday. | Rabbi Avram Mlotek, an Orthodox rabbi in New York, has been reminding members of his community that the first Passover was also held in a quarantine of sorts, as Moses told Jews to stay home to protect their firstborn sons from the 10th plague, remembered during the holiday. |
| This year, many Jews are reframing how they celebrate. Instead of kosher-for-Passover macaroons, they’re embracing scarcity. Instead of eight pounds of brisket, they may roast a chicken. As in biblical times, staying home is not a form of passivity; it’s a way to protect a community from harm. | This year, many Jews are reframing how they celebrate. Instead of kosher-for-Passover macaroons, they’re embracing scarcity. Instead of eight pounds of brisket, they may roast a chicken. As in biblical times, staying home is not a form of passivity; it’s a way to protect a community from harm. |
| For Rabbi Zion, a co-writer of the popular Haggadah, the essence of Passover has long been about something deeper than dietary rules. | For Rabbi Zion, a co-writer of the popular Haggadah, the essence of Passover has long been about something deeper than dietary rules. |
| “In this moment of darkness and doubt,” he said, “we need that ‘next year in Jerusalem’ hope more than ever.” | “In this moment of darkness and doubt,” he said, “we need that ‘next year in Jerusalem’ hope more than ever.” |
| Follow NYT Food on Twitter and NYT Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. Get regular updates from NYT Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice. | Follow NYT Food on Twitter and NYT Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. Get regular updates from NYT Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice. |