18 | MARCH 26 • 2020
From virtual dance classes
to online prayer, families get
creative amid crisis.
ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER I
t has been said that a crisis
can bring out the best in
people, and that certainly
seems to be happening among
local Jewish families trying
to find a “new normal” in
the midst of the COVID-19
(coronavirus) pandemic. But it
hasn’
t been easy.
The hustle and bustle of
work, school, sports and after-
school activities came to an
abrupt halt with a wave of can-
cellations and closures, leaving
families with no time to plan
and limited options. The need
for social distancing and stay-
ing home to prevent the spread
of the highly contagious virus
further narrows the possibili-
ties for parents scrambling to
work remotely, home school
their children, prepare meals
and keep up daily and weekly
routines.
“We are eating and sleep-
ing and watching shows in
between hours and hours of
coronavirus news updates.
Daughter is on a TikTok-
making binge. Care to inter-
view us?” quipped one over-
whelmed Jewish mom on the
Jewish Moms of Metro Detroit
Facebook page.
Videoconferencing and
online communication plat-
forms like Zoom, Google
Hangouts, Facebook and
others have proven to be a
lifeline for many families and
organizations working to stay
connected from a safe distance
during this strange and chal-
lenging time.
“
After working during
the day by teleconference,
we were invited to play Uno
Coping
Coronavirus
with
Rose Garber and
son Isaac, 11
months, have fun
finger-painting in
the kitchen.
continued on page 20
COURTESY GARBER FAMILY
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