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Zoom
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2021-02-17
THIS IS YOUR NECK ON ZOOM
Many years ago, there was a public service ad that said ‘This is your brain on drugs.” It featured an egg cracking into a frying pan, sizzling crisply. I feel the same way about my neck on zoom. It is a horrifying sight. For many of us, ZOOM is the funhouse mirror we do not wish to look into. It has been suggested that staring at ourselves on ZOOM calls sucks the life out of our brains and that it might be better to simply not be able to see ourselves. Apparently, you can block yourself from being able to see your own face while allowing your fellow ZOOM-ers to gaze at you. Honestly, that seems worse to me. What if I look like a Salvador Dali painting? And what about my NECK? Chin high, neck elongated is my mantra. Channeling Audrey Hepburn helps. Otherwise, I look like a candidate for a Thanksgiving carving board. This is what COVID hath wrought. Not a fear of disease or death (although THAT is responsible for the extra furrows between my brows), but a conversation about inner beauty and wisdom vs. gravity and slackness of skin. For women of a certain age COVID has brought a dollop of fear, and a hefty helping of self-pity at the mere thought of newborn grandchildren we cannot hold. And it has also rendered us as insecure and self-conscious as a teenager with a pimple on the tip of the nose. The state of the skin beneath my chin should not matter, and yet it does. -
02/16/2021
Lila Jue Oral History, 2021/02/16
I recorded a mini oral history with my mother in law about silver linings during the pandemic. The photograph is a family Zoom, as this is a positive of the pandemic year to her. -
2021-02-06
Community Theater Zoom Shows
With Covid-19 shutting down live performances all over the world, community theaters have been struggling to pay their bills without the income from ticket sales. Because of this, many have turned to Zoom shows and donations so that they can stay afloat until it is safe to hold live performances again. Community theaters are necessary to keep the performing arts alive in small towns and rural areas, but they often receive less grant support than larger theaters and performing arts centers, so they often rely on the support of their patrons. Hopefully virtual performances and fundraisers can keep these theaters alive, so these smaller communities don't lose all access to live theater and performing arts. -
2021-02-05
The Inhumanity of Zoom
With the increase in teleworking due to the pandemic has come an increase in Zoom meetings. These meetings have proven to be almost inhumane in my mind, as it's very difficult to communicate with others without nonverbal cues and people use the impersonal nature of communicating over a screen rather than in person to be pushy, rude, and self-absorbed. Although the pandemic will end one day, Zoom meetings will probably still be prevalent and lessons must be learned about how to make these meetings polite, uplifting, and productive. -
2020-12-19
COVID Birthday
This is a photo of my sisters birthday party late last year. She is a nurse at St. Josephs Hospital and for the safety of her friends she decided that a Zoom birthday party would be best. At the time she was working in the ICU on the COVID unit; the heart of all the action. She has since been moved back to her normal position but for quiet a while she wasn't able to see or interact with anyone outside the hospital. Her birthday was fun and we got to see family that we hadn't seen in what seemed like years. It was also really fun teaching my older family members how to use Zoom. Putting filters and funny backgrounds was hilarious. It is definitely something I'll remember about living through this pandemic. -
2021
Virtual Learning
Virtual learning hasn't been too hard but one of the major things that are a problem for me is speaking up in class. Since we are not in actual school I have not felt the need to participate as much. That is a bad thing because some of my teachers may feel like I am not paying attention even when I am. Another thing about virtual learning is that I haven’t talked to any of my classmates. The only time I talk to my classmates is when we are put in a breakout room on zoom together. One of the good things about being on virtual learning is that my grades have gone up because I have been less distracted by my classmates. -
2020
journal of the plague year remote learning
Remote learning has been super different compared to pre-covid learning in good and bad ways. First of all it is good because there are longer breaks and in between classes, you can go take a short nap or get some food or play video games. Also you can do school in your sleeping clothes. However it is really bad because they give 5x more work, and class periods are twice as long now! Also it is really hard to learn things, I had to enroll myself in tutoring for the first time. Those are the benifits and bad things of online school. -
2020-12-19
Ain't No Party Like A Covid Party
We host an annual holiday party that we call 'The Cookie Party' because we have a contest where we decorate cookies, judge them, and declare a winner. We also do paper puzzles, a live gameshow, and have lots of food. Because of the pandemic, we had to shift our plans for the 25th anniversary of the party. For food, we delivered goodie bags filled with treats and safety gear. On the day of the party, we all met up on Zoom - we judged cookies via pictures, we sent games over email and graded them live, and we did the gameshow using games that could be played over computer. It was a long three hours and we were tired, but everyone had a good time. -
2020-12-08
Covid Vs School
It was my senior year, school was seemingly fine until the virus hit. At first we were all out of school without a learning plan. As a week or so went by schools all over the US began to use Zoom. Zoom is a virtual classroom environment that allows teachers to easily share their screen as well as their assignment plans virtually from anywhere with an internet connection. -
2020-04-12
How Families Interact During Covid-19
This photo is of my family during one of our zoom meetings. My family lives in Italy and so this is the only way for my family to stay connected during the pandemic. We were planning to visit them in Italy during the summer, but we were unable to due to COVID. This photo demonstrates something significant about my generation under COVID because technology has allowed us to stay connected through the pandemic. A video call was a wonderful experience for the older members of my family because they were only able to send letters when they were younger and talk on the phone. Even though we are in the middle of a pandemic technology has truly allowed my generation to remain connected with our family and friends. As described in our reading “What do archivists keep or not” this is an example of a primary source because it is “tied to particular people doing particular things at [a] particular time and place” (Thompson, 3). -
2020-12-11
Family Gatherings in the Plague Year
Gathering as a family has been extremely hard over the last year as the country has dealt with Covid. Not being able to hang out as a family and go over my grandma's house as often has taken some of the joy away from this year. Zoom has been really helpful for my family to stay connected. Especially with me being in college this year and away from home. Family has been super important getting through this pandemic. If I ever feel like I am losing out on different opportunities, I always know that no matter what I have my family. These times can be stressful especially with school bearing down on me and having to keep up with assignments. I always have my family to help relieve my stress. -
2020-12-02
Studying From Home During a Pandemic
This is a picture of me, Dylan Sacks. I am currently a freshman at Northeastern University in Boston Massachusetts. Although I was on campus for the majority of the semester this year, I am home for about 10 weeks in total, because of the pandemic. Although Northeastern is unique compared to other schools because the majority of other schools around the country did not allow students to come back to campus after thanksgiving because of the pandemic, I made the personal choice to stay home until second semester begins (mid-january) for my own safety. This is where I spend most of my time, studying and working hard. On the computer monitor the application "Zoom" is pulled up. This is what all of my classes use so the students can feel as if we still have class. The difficulty is trying to feel as though these are normal times, and Northeastern and their amazing staff are doing everything they can to give us the closest they can to a traditional college experience. -
2020-06-05
What is Zoom Fatigue and what it means for students
This article gives some context as to what "zoom fatigue" or "tech fatigue" is. It's not something I've really considered before this year. My previous years of having mainly online classes, were still broken up by at least one or two in-person classes, along with the other distractions of going the store or visiting family, and doing something fun or interesting, without the anxiety of getting severely sick, or getting my loved ones sick. The article also includes some basic "how to fight tech fatigue" tips which I think could be useful, however, this type of advice can easily fall into the one-size-fits-all category. This needs to be avoided, because there is a wider range of diversity and accessibility, and for some people the "20,20,20" rule, simply doesn't work. -
2020-10-16
A slightly light hearted take on how professors are making Zoom classes better for students.
I chose this article because it touches on some issues I faced myself on a much smaller scale. Zoom class meetings can be, for whatever reason, intimidating. They create a different type of social anxiety than when in a class setting, where things can be more relaxed, or tension eased quickly. The communication barriers of having to mute microphones to hear one another, technical issues, and just not wanting to be the focus when you see your screen light up, and also still wanting to contribute can get stressful quickly. It also can be uncomfortable, staring at all of your classmates all at once, and also trying to focus on your professor. I also enjoyed how the professor in this article discussed his methods of improving his online lectures, and trying to ease those social tensions, and create a sense of normalcy for his students despite the vast array of challenges faced. -
2020-08-17
St. Mary's University's History Club Welcomes Back Members Virtually for Fall 2020
St. Mary's University clubs had to move online during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the semester started the History Club sent out a welcome letter to members with information on how to connect to the zoom meeting which would host the club's meetings for the semester. -
2020-11-17
Zoom calls with strangers a face with no makeup, these are a few of my favorite things
A Tik Tok video covering so many changes that have happened with the pandemic, an original sound by Nina Nesbitt. The video makes fun of zoom calls, not wearing makeup, and ordering food and other items online. It definitely captures how challenging it is to stay home, the struggle of interacting with other people, and the tendency to give into vices as a coping strategy. -
2020-09-10
Jewish Melbourne: Sholem Aleichem ‘Gast Oyf Shabes’ - cooking from Fania Lewando's cookbook
"Last Friday, the Grade 6s welcomed vegan chef Michal Dawid Lachur all the way from Warsaw, Poland as their latest ‘Gast Oyf Shabes’. Michal taught the Grade 6s about vegetarian chef, Fania Lewando (1887-1941). Lewando ran a vegetarian restaurant in pre-WWII Vilna. The restaurant attracted figures such as Marc Chagall and Itzik Manger. She also had a cookery school, where she taught about vegetarian nutrition. Fania Lewando published the Vilna Vegetarian Cookbook (Vegetarish-Dietisher Kokhbukh) in 1938 in Yiddish. Many years later, it was translated into English and is available online. Michal led our students in a cooking workshop, where they learned to make a rice kugl and a prune tsimes. The students had a great time cooking with Michal and enjoyed learning to make Lewando’s take on these traditional dishes. A sheynem dank to Michal for joining us in the early hours of the morning to work with our students." -
2020-11-14
Eva Noblezada giving a virtual performance
Eva Noblezada, who has starred in Broadway musicals such as Miss Saigon and Hadestown, will be giving a virtual concert and will host a Q&A session afterwards via Zoom. This concert is one that you have to buy tickets for. -
2020-11-10
Life in a Digital World
For millions of people, the blue and white logo of the digital video meeting service, Zoom, has become a familiar sight. I am sure that many of us, like myself, had to abruptly learn about Zoom in March 2020 when our lives entered a digital phase due to the pandemic. I’m sure that I am also similar to many others when I can now say that (in November 2020) I am more than proficient in my Zoom skills. Everything from school to work to social meetings are now conducted by sending Zoom invitation links. Zoom has become the classroom, the office, and the cafe…..possibly without even changing the room you are sitting in. This year has not been easy but, as I look back over these past months, I have realized that the technological world has become a surprising lifesaver. Technology has allowed people to stay connected to the world without even stepping outside their homes. Phone calls, emails, texts, Zoom meetings….they have all played a part in keeping us close to our family and friends. Even my college graduation in May was conducted over Zoom. We moved our tassels as one graduating department, even as we sat in front of our separate computers in different locations! I have started my first semester at graduate school this fall at a Pittsburgh university. My classes are conducted through Zoom, so I am not actually on campus or living in the city! While I miss in-person social interactions, I am also incredibly grateful that, thanks to digital tools and dedicated professors, I have been able to continue my education despite this year’s difficult circumstances. Interestingly, despite global lockdowns, I have been able to “visit” parts of the world I would not normally be able to, due to institutions’ and organizations’ commitment to providing virtual experiences. From our home, my family and I have watched theatrical performances, concerts, and other events occurring in different geographical areas because of the ability to livestream. We have also been exploring various museums by taking virtual tours and looking through virtual collections. Through technology, I have been able to learn about and experience events and places that I would not have been able to otherwise! Eventually, this pandemic will be over. I hope, however, that institutions and organizations continue to reach out digitally even when it is safe to resume in-person group activities. Digital programs and projects allow people to participate in events and experiences that might have been too costly in travel expenses or time commitments had they only been offered in traditional, in-person formats. Regardless, I am grateful for what digital programming and technology have already given me. This year has been incredibly stressful and filled with anxiety. Sometimes, it has made all the difference to be able to connect with a few people over a Zoom meeting. In the end, the Zoom logo has come to signify many things to me: pandemic, prevalence of digital technology, and, when it comes down to it, the importance of human connectivity and relationships. -
2020-08-01
Staying close through zoom beveraginos
During lockdown my group of friends stayed close through sharing videos and memes on facebook and participating in tiktok trends. We had a weekly zoom set up with people from Melbourne and Geelong where we’d talk about our mostly uneventful weeks, gossip about uni and celebrity news and little bit about Dan Andrews or as he was lovingly known Daddy Dan/Dandrews. Regularly having a zoom call was a comforting experience because before the pandemic we stayed in contact mostly by planning parties and lunches. The pandemic definitely made us closer through creating group chats and organising to play a game together, usually Among Us on Wednesday night. This post includes the tiktok beveragino trend where people have drinks with their mates and film them popping out from random locations. HIST30060 -
2020-08-09T21:28+10:00
Digitally Traversing Social Distances: Zoom Trivia with Friends
This photo depicts me and my university friends catching up over Zoom and playing trivia. We played trivia multiple times over zoom, usually most Fridays, as a regular way to socialise while we were all apart during university holidays and Melbourne's second lockdown. The rules of our trivia games were as follows: every player would contribute $5, different people would volunteer to make trivia questions on whatever category they choose (including memes, dog breeds, logos etc.) and the overall winner that week would use the prize money to buy alcohol of their choice (we are students after all). We also had dress-up themes like sports and beach-wear, and bonus points would be allocated to best-dressed. These nights were the highlight of my week and gave me something to look forward to, breaking up the monotony of university assignments and lockdown. At the time this photo was taken, I had left Melbourne and was in hotel quarantine in Brisbane. This is also why zoom trivia worked well, because whilst some of my friends stayed in Melbourne, many of us moved out of the city to do lockdown with family in places like rural Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, and Queensland. Social media and video chats like Zoom functioned to connect us in new ways during the pandemic, and shows how the barriers of physical distance could be traversed via digital realms. HIST30060. -
2020-11-09
University in the Pandemic [MISSING MEDIA]
This is a picture I took in my hotel room in Boston of the zoom call I was on for my communications class at Northeastern University. I'm a freshman at Northeastern University and I've been able to experience college during the COVID-19 pandemic right on the front line. Unlike many of my friends who have been forced to stay at home because their colleges can't support in-person classes, I have been living in a hotel room in Boston for two months and attending classes regularly. Although I'm "in person", 3 out of my 4 major classes are entirely online and I spend most of my days sitting in my room tuning in to zoom calls. I would call this semester anything but the typical college experience, with most of my days spent in near isolation as my motivation ebbs away. In the age of the pandemic, it's harder than ever to find friends and the few freshmen who have found large groups have broken nearly every rule our university has set to try and keep us safe. It can be hard to stay positive, but I've done my best to keep my grades up and talk to my friends whenever possible. -
2020-04-29
Distance Learning with her BFF
My daughter cannot sit still for long therefore did not do well with distance learning. Every morning she had a Zoom meeting with her teacher and classmates to check in. I snapped this photograph as she Zoomed with her class and laid against her dog. She finds comfort with our golden retriever who loves her dearly. -
11/04/2020
David Oral History, 2020/11/04
This is an interview with an instructor who had to adapt to teaching online from live demonstration. He also has health challenges. It's important to me because the health of all of us is important in the pandemic. Especially those in the high risk group like myself. Written transcript. It is an interview conducted with a professor at a local college. -
2020-08-25
Jewish Melbourne: online services at Kehilat Nitzan
During lockdown Kehilat Nitzan ran synagogue services online, through youtube and zoom. They provided congregants with instructions about how to access these services in a kosher manner. -
2020-06-19
Jewish Melbourne - Stand Up zoom event
On 19 June 2020 there was a Stand Up zoom event, streamed live to their Facebook page. This screenshot and Facebook link captures part of the day: "With Stand Up's CEO, Manager of Aboriginal Partnerships and a member of the Board, discussing life, social justice and everything in between. PS. Gideon (CEO) has been on zoom for 8 hours non-stop!" -
2020-10-19
jeffrey toobin took his dick out on a zoom call
Someone who worked with the New York Times left his camera on and decided to masturbate, thinking his camera was off, showing a gross act of sexual misconduct and misunderstanding about when it is appropriate to wank off at work. Key Note: it should really be never, even if you are muted and your camera is off during a meeting, please do not pleasure yourself in the Zoom call. -
2020-10-23
COVID funeral
Although the death had nothing to do with COVID I wanted to showcase how many people are being forced to say good bye to loved ones during the pandemic. I attended a funeral this morning through zoom, my friend was killed a few weeks ago in the east coast and today his family laid him to rest. On the plus side I saved on airfare and travel and was able to watch in the comfort of my own home. Most people were live and had their cameras on while others chose to turn them off. Since I was one of those with the camera off, I can say I felt the liberty to mourn as I wished in the privacy of my own space. A few minutes after the service started, I almost forgot I was on a zoom meeting until the sound gave out for a few minutes. The service was like any other I had been to, with eulogies, songs and a picture slide show BUT it was unlike any I had ever been too because it was remote. There were over a hundred people in the meeting from all over the country. Those who were physically in the church wore masks until it was their turn to speak, and the over all theme of social distance and COVID was not lost even among the tears. I snapped a photo to show how I was watching. -
2020-10-17
Women's March goes virtual in North Dakota
This screenshot captures a story published by a local news provider in North Dakota. The story is important because it describes another effect of COVID, relying heavily on technology. Having to organize a women’s march via Zoom showcases the resiliency of people and their dedication to a cause. -
2020-10-15
Zoom Meeting/Saint Jerome writing, 2020
Covid has changed everything and some professions have been more affected than others. For the arts, it has been very weird. First, due to the closure of galleries and events, an artist had the opportunity to create without interruptions, but the codependency of the artist with the art institutions is too strong. The painting was made by my husband, Diego Perez. He is a local artist in Arizona. At the beginning of the quarantine in March, he was so productive but after a few months, the creative process was affected by the lack of social interaction, exhibitions, call for artists, public art opportunities. He started to paint portraits, people with masks, but nothing was worth it because there was no space to exhibit or to sell. Online events weren't the same, ultimately, our virtual interaction is not enough for anyone. The painting "Zoom meeting/Saint Jerome Writing" represents the first approach to art normality, at least for my family. Carmody Foundation opened a call for artists in August and Diego was selected. The painting is a hagiography for Saint Jerome but in a pandemic mode, you will be able to see the important elements such as the skull, the red fabric, the writing... -
2020
Unsurmountable feeling of Digital Dread: A 3 Line Poem for those done with it All
Oh, woe be the mind riddled with sickening screens! So easy it is now to skip class and be free! It seems so simple without a toll or a fee! Lest be our nauseated souls, Cure us of this sickness, and relieve our woe! -
2020-10-17
My New Co-Worker
As a virtual school teacher, I have been working from home for almost seven years now. I was used to being the only other person in my home office, besides my dog Toto. But since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States in March, my husband has been working at home as well. We began working together side by side in my/our home office: however, once my husband stepped into a new role within his office, he began to have Zoom meetings and phone calls almost daily. That change coupled with my Zoom meetings and phone calls with students, our shared space was no longer feasible. He has moved to the kitchen table, where he and I can make calls without being in each other's background. During the day our house is filled with both of us talking on the phone, me to students and him to his clients. The space where I used to be free to make breakfast, listen to music, or make whatever noise I wanted, I now have a co-worker to think about (other than my pup). We both have to warn each other when our cameras are on for zoom meetings so we don't appear on camera or make some inappropriate noise in the background. Our home is now a real office, with Zoom meetings, talking, typing, lunch breaks, etc. I think I'll forever remember the sound of my husband's phone voice, as well as the "doorbell" sound chime when people enter a Zoom meeting. "Home office" has a new meaning to me now. -
2020-07-09
Covid-19, Education and Making Choices
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced almost everyone to make decisions, some small and some drastic. The following is a reflection of how my studies as an international student at the University of Melbourne, Australia were affected by the pandemic. The date is 9 July 2020. Covid-19 cases have been on the rise in Melbourne in the past two weeks. This trend seems specific to Melbourne as the rest of Australia seems to have the situation under control. I receive an email from the University. The email announces that the studies for the second semester (July to November 2020) will take place entirely online. The majority of semester 1 (March to June) had also taken place online. But students were hopeful that a return to face-to-face teaching would be possible given the relatively low number of cases of Australia up to late June 2020 (when the second wave started). As an international student, I must make a choice. To stay in Melbourne or to fly home. I need to do so quickly, since incoming flights to Melbourne had already been suspended, and there is no guarantee that the same might not happen to outgoing flight. In my case, returning home seemed the obvious choice. I would rather have stayed in Melbourne (a city I love!), but alas at least to return means to be closer to friends and family during these times. I write this in October 2020, the semester is almost over, and the number of daily cases in Melbourne has now dropped significantly (to single digits), after months of strict measures. For much of the rest of the world however, there does not seem to be an end in sight. Submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History subject at the University of Melbourne. -
2020-08-20
Masks and Virtual Living
The photo of my friends- A lot of my social interactions since March have been virtual. Every Friday, I would call my wonderful group of friends and catch up, since we couldn’t see each other in person. The photo of my friend and I with masks- I worked at Menards, in sort of the warehouse section of the store. I worked 10 hour shifts in the heat with a mask on every day. It was definitely uncomfortable, but I do think it was important and necessary for all of us to wear masks. -
2020-04-12
The Last Supper over Zoom
Meme of Jesus on a Zoom call with the disciples at the Last Supper. -
2020-10-04
Kids Now Know to Ask "Are you in a meeting?"
This Tweet shows one of the major changes in our society and home lives. With so many people working from home children have learned to approach their parents and ask if they are in a meeting before saying anything else. -
2020-07-02
Summer College Programming During the Pandemic
The post is a screenshot from the annual McNair Scholars Program Research Symposium from the summer. The screenshot captures students and faculty from the program before they began their presentations over zoom. The McNair Scholars program prepares underrepresented students for graduate school. Students have a faculty mentor who advises them on a research project during the summer, where they write a paper, prepare for graduate school applications, and then later present the research at the annual research symposium. Usually, the program takes place on the St. Mary’s University campus, and students are provided campus resources such as housing and meal plans. They can meet with faculty and peers in person. Due to COVID-19, the program had to be completely virtual; every program meeting utilized zoom. The McNair Scholars summer research program is one example of college activities that had to adapt to the changing world with COVID-19. Although students were still able to meet virtually and present research, there were limitations to not being on campus, such as what research you could conduct and the resources and accessibility of having workspaces on campuses as many students were working at home. The picture also represents the new normal of large gatherings, especially for academic spaces. All of our classes resemble this image now. -
2020-09-24
Do You Have ‘Zoom Fatigue’ or Is It Existentially Crushing to Pretend Life Is Normal as the World Burns?
We each experience the pandemic in different ways but this article hits home for so many. While I personally am okay most days because my life is rather project based, which provides me something different from time to time, I still have days where it all seems so useless. My husband struggles daily. The stress and monotony has resulted in him napping, like a toddler, mid afternoon everyday. We're lucky that his job is such that he hours are flexible right now and his company does not use software to monitor his time working. If he didn't have this flexibility to nap or take a mid afternoon break to get outside I believe his mental health would be worse than it is just by existing right now. -
2020-09-19
Promotion during COVID-19
Usually military promotions require a ceremony. I would have dressed myself and our two daughter up, my husbands whole battalion would have be present as his superiors would have said a few words. I would have taken off his old rank from his uniform and officially pinned his new one on. Everyone would have cheered and we would have gone to dinner to celebrate. My husbands promotion looked completely different than what we’re used to. He found out he would be pinned ten minutes before the zoom call, the kids were still in their pjs and my husband wasn’t even wearing his pants. Instead we got dressed in a hurry, got on a zoom call with five other people and I pinned him while my dad held the phone. It took less than five minutes start to finish then it was back to whatever we had been doing prior to the call. We ordered in dinner that day just to make it as special as we could. HST580 ASU -
2020-07-07
A Moment in Time
When the pandemic started effecting businesses that is when I saw things really start to shift. Family members, coworkers, and friends were losing their jobs or being converted to working remotely. For majority of the adults in my life, I remember feeling their worry of their future and their children's futures as well. Most jobs were unpredictible and there were still bills to pay. Kids were no longer attending school in person so this added another layer of stress. Worksheets needed to be printed out daily as well as the constant back and forth with teachers via email to enter the virtual classrooms through zoom links and passwords. In my home things were a bit all over the place. We are a big family of eight so things tend to be this way. A typical day in quarantine was as follows, I was considered an essential worker so I would leave to work before anyone woke up and when I came home I would take over the household so my parents could finally be able to work. My parents had to work remotely while simultaneously managing my five siblings that are all under the age of 12. Three of the five children were attending school remotely which meant preparing all the necessary worksheets, tablets/computers, and zoom links. The remaining two children are under the age of two and require a lot more hands on attention throughout the day. Luckily, we were able to have a fulltime babysitter before the pandemic hit but once the numbers of cases went up my family couldn't risk having anyone come into the home. At the time, nobody knew when the shutdown would end or what would have to change for everyone to feel safe leaving their homes but it was definitely an opportunity to really connect and grow as a family. It is rare that a family has an experience as a whole and I am glad we were all able to work together and make the most of this time. Regardless of age, this pandemic has effected us all incredibly and I will definitely look back at this strange time and appreciate the quality time I was able to have with my family. -
2020-04-29
Jewish Melbourne: 'YG Melbourne Resumes Full Seder Virtually Amidst Coronavirus'
This news update begins: "The Communists in Russia were not able to shut down Tomchei Temimim, and COVID-19 won’t shut it down either. The challenge today is different, but the mission remains the same, in what is surely Tomchei Temimim’s final frontier before Moshiach’s arrival. The Rebbe Rashab, the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Rebbe, and all the Temimim of old are looking to us, the final generation of Temimim, to carry the baton over the finish line. To that end, YG Melbourne resumed full Seder today via online platforms Zoom and Google Classroom, with the aim of supporting each Bochur in keeping a regular full day of Seder. Instead of reducing Torah study, YG’s full-service virtual Zal resumed Seder two days ahead of schedule. Seder was also opened up to all Bochurim enrolled in overseas Yeshivos who are stranded in Australia due to COVID-19 travel restrictions." -
2020-03-31
Jewish Melbourne: ' Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV) Pesach Guidelines regarding Covid-19 Situation compiled in consultation with the Melbourne Beth Din'
This provides the Rabbinical Council of Victoria Guidelines for Covid-19 and Pesach, under a number of sections: Inviting guests for Yom Tov; Use of ZOOM for Pesach Seder; Yahrzeit Commemoration; Reaching out to the Vulnerable; Tzedaka – Charity -
2020-09-17
MW1: Covid University: I: The Chat Box
The pandemic forced us all to take online classes. We all miss the traditional classroom setting. But we all remember how awkward it was to ask questions. One thing about zoom is you can ask a question or make a comment in the chat box. This is a feature I hope get added to the in person class experience. It adds so much to the productivity and the curiosity of student. Being able to just add a question into the chat log, then the teacher peeks at it and answers when they have time or if its immediately relevant. No classroom disruption, no being shy, just unadulterated curiosity. -
2020-09-18
Metamorphosis
This is a story why Online education is not the same as in-Person education that COVID took AWAY FROM US -
2020-06-13
When the ideal bar mitzvah is a Zoom Mitzvah
My boy-girl twins had their b'nai mitzvah during the pandemic. It went from me planning a big party, to me trying to make them feel happy about themselves on Zoom. But the secret is: This was possibly the best thing that could have happened! My son is autistic, and we were struggling with how he would deal with the sensory overload of performing in a large synagogue. I wrote a story about it that was published in the Forward, and I want to share it here. -
2020-06-02
Picking up the pieces
The coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter movement are two of the most important things in the US right now. This photo represents both of those things and it's important to me because I'm a young black kid who wants to live safely in a community where I feel comfortable. I, just like many others, have learned a lot about the history of injustice in America towards black people. -
2020-08-21
Life and Politics by Zoom
In February of 2020, I was a high school senior trying to finish up high school and think about what I was trying to be doing the next school year. By March, the Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker declared a stay-at-home order and I was finishing high school by doing assignments and emailing them to teachers. Then the shut-down really evolved as my high school prom and graduation were both canceled. Well, our graduation was only partially canceled. Six students receiving diplomas were allowed to show up every 30 minutes, with no more than five family members present, and everyone remained socially distant throughout the process. My parents both started working from home and always seemed to be doing something I had not previously heard of, Zoom calls. To get a head start on college, I had signed up for a Summer class at Suffolk University. Amongst other reasons, I had chosen Suffolk for its proximate location to my home, its outstanding science facilities (a brand-new sciences and lab building), urban feel and connections to local businesses, hospitals, and research facilities. Then the class went remote and Zoom meetings became the norm for me. The Politics of a Global Pandemic class involved a weekly Zoom forum with panelists from around the world. Topics varied weekly, but the theme always involved global politics around this pandemic. At first, I figured it would be mainly US politics, since it is a presidential election year. Then we talked about a variety of pandemic's global impacts, economic effects, cultural changes, and how society and political leaders view these challenges. We didn't use Zoom calls in those last few months of my senior year of high school. Then two months later, Zoom became so mainstream that the biggest political convention of my lifetime (to date) was actually held virtually. The title of the article, "The DNC Is the Best Zoom Meeting of 2020—So Far" resonates as it seems like this could be just the beginning. I turned 18 just prior to the pandemic and registered to vote. From what I've seen in online videos of past conventions, were speeches, political endorsements, and balloons cascading from the ceiling of a stadium as a candidate accepts his or her party nomination. This pandemic changed things for me, for global politics, and society so drastically, I wonder when or if in-person schooling and politics will ever be what I saw and experienced over the course of my life. I’m now registered for all virtual classes this fall; and probably more Zoom calls. -
2020-06-05
Singing A Little Louder
For as long as I can remember, there has always been music playing in my house, whether it be as my two sisters and I wake up each morning or up until the moment we fall asleep. Over the years, we have memorized thousands of songs and have connected with thousands of artists as we listen to anything we could find in the depths of our parent’s music collection. Our parents soon realized that they could teach us anything by means of a good song. As we would press play on the little radio that used to sit in our room, each CD would expose us to a different place, time, or mindset, while also subtly infusing messages of acceptance, equality, culture, kindness, and more. My sisters and I memorized songs in different languages, while also learning about the history and experiences that shape good music. Music became our life’s foundation and soon, in addition to listening to music for hours on end, my sisters and I started singing at various places in the small town of Smithfield, VA, where we grew up together. Hungry for more, we each picked up an instrument and learned to play guitar from listening over and over to our favorite albums and the occasional YouTube tutorial. We started to dissect the harmonies that we would hear in our favorite songs and ultimately formed our own sound that we loved sharing with the people we met within our little southern town. After learning hundreds of songs to play together, we soon realized that we wanted to start writing songs of our own. We were excited to create something that was inspired by our own experiences together, whether it be derived from feelings of happiness, sadness, heartbreak, anger, or excitement. Since we had listened to and interpreted music since we were born, the importance of songwriting is was not lost to my sisters and me. We understood the power it holds, as it frees the minds of thousands who desperately want their perspective to be represented and encourages storytelling that is inspired by real love or real loss. We were intrigued by the strong beliefs, wild imaginations, and raw emotions that ensure the timelessness of great songs. Being provided a space and a medium to write down unbridled and heartfelt ideas in addition to working with artists who inspire a safe and collaborative environment has allowed the intricacies of songwriting to come naturally to my sisters and me. Sharing my songs to audiences of all ages and sizes is absolutely exhilarating and I view my passion for meaningful lyrics as the greatest gift that has been given to me. My sisters and I began traveling to and from Nashville, meeting and collaborating with songwriters and artist to create meaningful lyrics and beautiful melodies. As our music began to directly represent what we were feeling as individuals, over the years my sisters and I started to use our original songs to communicate with each other and those around us. On March 13, for the first time in our lives, the music in our house stopped. It was replaced by the sounds of live updates from the news. As we watched the death toll rise and the heartbreaking stories of people who lost their loved ones to the virus, we were silenced by the impact of the disease. We realized that people were unable to interact with each other and that the effects of virus was attempting to strip humanity of things it needed to survive. As for my sisters and I, our entire lineup of summer performances was canceled, as well as the final trip to Nashville we had planned before I left for college. My sisters and I finally had to come to terms with the reality that we may not be able to sing out together again, as I would leave Virginia to move to Boston at the end of the summer. We struggled with the fact that we wouldn’t have the time to say goodbye to the thing that had connected us the most throughout our entire childhood and as we came to terms with our new reality, turned to music to help us get through this challenging time. With the rest of my senior year canceled, I had the time to sit and think about a lot what music has given me throughout my life. I discovered that even though I loved the songs and albums I listened to over the years, it was the time spent with my sisters that meant most to me. I thought about all of the different experiences we have shared over the years and how hard it is going to be when I would venture off on my own soon. My sisters were truly the thing in my life that I loved the most, so how was I going to be able to live 700 miles away in the middle of a global pandemic? My sisters faced the same uneasiness and uncertainty, and as usual, music served as our escape. We realized that while our situation may have been difficult to navigate, we are so incredibly lucky and grateful for the experiences we have shared and the opportunities we have been given. In the end we understood how fortunate it was that we were healthy and committed ourselves to always staying grateful even in times as unprecedented as this. We discovered that all we ever really needed was each other, and that there is more power in the relationships that you build with the people that you love than any virus or other obstacle that may come our way. I think that throughout this pandemic, the world is coming to terms with the same lesson: that human connection is one of the most impactful aspects of our lives. I hope that in the aftermath of a world redefined by a global pandemic, we all hug each other a little tighter and sing a little louder. Attached is my sister and I singing on Zoom for the first time. -
2020-04-30
Looking for new ways to imagine our community
The absence of a physical shul community has reinforced my love of that community. -
2020-04-08
Pesakh in lockdown
Pesakh was going to be a large family event. We had people coming from London, Canberra, Sydney and of course, Melbourne. Then the pandemic hit. No-one could travel, and we were not allowed any visitors in our house. So, we set up a zoom Seyder. We had members of the family join Zoom from London, Lund (Sweden), Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. It was a huge success.