The fact that I have been somewhat isolated during the period of the pandemic has both strengthened the ties to the people who I am isolated with – my family members in my neighborhood. It has also formed and strengthened ties to friends in distant areas and to new people and communities. The technology of Zoom, FaceTime and Teams has enabled me to both maintain relationships with friends and distant family (and strengthening those bonds by uniting around a common situation). These tools also have enabled me to strengthen connections with other people by attending online classes and meetings. Zoom in particular, has made going to a meeting of an organization or a class and strengthening ties with other people there quite easy. My association with the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and relationships with my fellow executive board members has never been stronger.
