A box of eight cheeses arrived at our door this morning.
It was our way of helping a local business caught in the coronavirus lockdown.
Actually, we were among over 50,000 Israelis to answer a Facebook ad calling out for help.
The gourmet Bat-Harim cheese shop, in the north of Israel, put a post on Facebook that the coronavirus lockdown – which wiped out their usual customer base from the tourism and hospitality sectors – had left them with excess cheeses.
It took less than 48 hours for people from all over the country to buy the cheese boxes for a discounted price.
We also bought fresh cut flowers from a farmer in the south of the country, stuck with crops after florists, hotels and restaurants shuttered their doors in accordance with new social isolation policies.
He, too, turned to social media to advertise the surplus bouquets. The response was in the tens of thousands.
It makes sense that these initiatives would succeed. In Israel, there’s a “we’re all family” feeling and a sense of mutual responsibility.
The unemployment rate is skyrocketing. In just three weeks, it went from 4% to over 21%.
So, when independent businesses trying to save themselves turn to social media for assistance, the response – in Israel – will almost always be helpful.
By the way, the pepper Tomme-style cheese made for a delicious breakfast.