Revisiting Hanukkah 5781

20 Kislev 5782

In light of what has transpired during the course of the past year, I think it is worth revisiting and recalling where we were as Hanukkah entered one year ago.  Following is what I posted on 24 Kislev 5781...

About ten days ago, I posited that the nine-month global control of "wicked Rome" aka The New World Order could be ending at the onset of Hanukkah (March 11, 2020 - December 11, 2020: Nine Months!).  I wrote then: "It will be a very positive sign if they are unable to lock us down on Hanukkah.  Even though this is their plan, if they do fail to lock us down on Hanukkah, it will be the first time since Purim that we were free on a holiday."  

All week long, the media has gone back and forth on this issue, first reporting no curfew, then reporting yes a curfew. After the idea was shot down by several knowledgeable sources: illegal to impose, impossible to impose nationwide, not effective enough to be worth the disadvantages, etc., the Corona Cabinet deferred making a final decision until tomorrow, even though the curfew was set to begin today.  Right now, it remains to be seen whether a nighttime curfew will be imposed or not, but the possibility is strong that it will fail.  That's what we are hoping to see.

UPDATE:  This just in...

(TOI) After abandoning a plan to impose nightly curfews to drive down coronavirus infection rates, the government is considering rolling out a ban on visiting others’ homes in the afternoon and evening hours during the upcoming holiday of Hanukkah, according to television reports. 

Channel 12 says the government will approve the order on Thursday and would be effective each night from 5:30 p.m. until midnight. 

It’s not clear how such a ban would be enforced.

Will update further as a final decision is announced. 

As we now know, no lockdown took place and, in fact, there has not been another lockdown in Israel since.  Baruch Hashem!  As to where we stand today...

...Bennett told a Tuesday night meeting of the coronavirus cabinet of government ministers that large gatherings could be banned during the weeklong holiday which begins on November 28, according to Hebrew media reports.

...Tuesday’s meeting was the coronavirus cabinet’s first in almost two months. The pandemic has largely faded from public life since last month, after infection rates had plummeted from all-time highs over the summer following a booster shot campaign.

Ministers at the meeting decided to extend Green Pass regulations meant to restrict access to certain venues to vaccinated or recovered individuals by two weeks, but did not make any decision on tightening or loosening restrictions, Bennett’s office said.

...The response to the child vaccination campaign has been lackluster so far, according to anecdotal accounts. (Source)

Good news all around.  I truly think that we have already seen the worst of this plandemic in Eretz Yisrael.