Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
"Shalom Sivan, This is Hila Morad from Safed. During the first lockdown last year, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, I gave birth to our son Moshe-Yitzchak. We have almost forgotten about the crisis at that time. A paralyzing dread was in the air. For consolation, I thought about the women of Egypt, the righteous ones who gave birth despite Pharaoh's decree (that baby boys were to be thrown into the Nile). Inspired by their strength, I gave birth in the shadow of that terrible fear of the corona. In those days when we shut ourselves at home and prayed for redemption, we decided to call our precious newborn Moshe, the redeemer of Israel.
The brit took place without anyone present, in accordance with the corona restrictions. Just the mohel and us. The second name that Moshe received was Yitzchak, the same as grandpa Yitzchak who very much wanted to be the sandak (godfather) at the brit, but did not get that privilege. For a full year they told us not to visit grandpa and grandma in order to protect them and to protect us. Everything happened at a distance, with immense longing. In the course of the past year, we caught the coronavirus but recovered, and now Moshe-Yitzchak is one year old.
Several days ago we went to visit them. Moshe-Yitzchak saw grandpa Yitzchak and grandma Sarah for the first time - and he just cried and cried. He didn't know who they were. All babies born this year were shut inside their homes and now every adult is a stranger to them. We are now working on establishing a new and different connection between a one-year-old baby and 'new' grandparents. And now, baruch Hashem, it's finally possible to sit together around the same table.
How ironic that the very same holiday in which we first experienced separation a year ago is now the holiday in which we reunite. How symbolic that this holiday is all about the connection between generations - 'and you shall tell your son.' 'It is that promise to Avraham that protected our fathers and us.' 'Who redeemed us and redeemed our forefathers.' We feel that the story of our Moshe-Yitzchak is another chapter in this unique, never-ending story of our nation."
