NETANYA, Israel — Wear a mask, and save a life.
I came across this poignant story from Jerusalem-based, David Jablinowitz, that is worthy of sharing with you.
It was told to him by a regular bus driver in Jerusalem.
This nameless driver tells of a child, no older than ten, who sat on the first row of his bus.
The boy greeted every passenger who got on the bus with either, “Please make sure your mask stays on properly. I don’t want my Saba and Safta (grandfather and grandmother) to get sick,” or “Thank you for wearing a mask. Because of you, my Saba and Safta hopefully won’t get sick.”
As the small boy was preparing to get off the bus, the driver, barely holding back his emotions, praised the child.
The boy explained to the driver that he had visited his grandparents for the first time in months and his grandmother pleaded with him to tell everybody he sees to thank those who wore a mask.
His Safta had told him, “If everyone follows the rules your Saba and I hopefully won’t get sick and you won’t have to stop visiting us again.”
I got tje sense that what his Safta was telling him was that if people do not wear their masks, the little boy will not have a Safta and Saba to visit.
Speaking as someone in the vulnerable age group, please listen to the little boy. Wear your mask. It may be inconvenient, but you could save a live, and that life may be your grandparent, or mine.
*
Barry Shaw is the International Public Diplomacy Director of the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.