As the COVID-19 cases in the country continue to rise, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called for three days of fasting and prayer as a spiritual way to fight the pandemic.
By Anash.org reporter
In an interesting twist that may remind you of your favorite Jewish bedtime stories, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called for three days of fasting and prayer to combat the latest uptick in COVID-19 cases.
Edwards, who is a democrat and religious Catholic, said he will be fasting during lunch from Monday, July 20 until Wednesday, July 22, and will be praying for the people of Louisiana.
“Regardless of your denomination or your religion, we ask that you join us in prayerful reflection and fasting,” he said.
Of course, this concept is not new – throughout our history, fasting and turning to Hashem in prayer was the natural response of a Jewish community in danger. In recent years, however, religion has been on the decline in this country, and G-d increasingly removed from the political sphere – at least according to narratives crafted by the mainstream media.
Local Jewish leaders say they find this announcement encouraging.
“It’s not often that we hear government leaders insert spirituality into the conversation in such a meaningful way,” said shlucha Mrs. Chanie Nemes of Metairie, LA. “The hope is that others will follow suit, and that the public will remember that, notwithstanding the importance of taking proper safety measures, everything is in the hands of a Higher Power.”