June 21 may seem like aeons away, but there will be few of us whose sense of relief that a tangible end to pandemic restrictions is in sight does not outweigh any frustration that it is still four months away at the earliest. Of all the staging posts on the way to full easing, the government’s roadmap shows that it is indoor gatherings that are most problematic — and these restrictions have weighed the most heavily on our community, whether in shul, care homes or simply the usual family mixing that we have always taken for granted. Once again, seder nights will not be the gatherings we long for. But for the first time in a year, we now have genuine hope of a form of normality returning. Politicians hope to ‘build back better’ and it is important that our community takes heed of this. For all the destruction and desolation of the pandemic, there have been some positive changes that should remain with us — such as the ease with which we can take part in meetings online. Nothing beats human contact, but in future we should combine the two: physical presence for those that can, and the opportunity to participate digitally for others. There are other examples of improvements, too. For example, synagogues have provided welcome phone calls to those who live alone, both for conversation and as a check on how they are doing. We relish the lifting of restrictions, but let us ensure that the new normal is even better than the old.

It’s a mitzvah

This week we report on an unfortunate email sent by Lady Daniela Pears, founder and chair of the We Go Together matchmaking site. She has rightly apologised. But Lady Daniela deserves great praise for setting up the site in the first place. Match-making is a difficult art, not least because there is almost always a shortage of men — not to mention the shortness of men as well. It is even more difficult in the middle of a pandemic, and without online introductions there would no introductions at all. Lady Daniela’s commitment of time and money is a mitzvah.