Mark Kogan was a 46 year old male, living with his wife and three kids. Mark recalls his growing awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in February and March of 2020 and his unawareness of the virus. He discusses precautions his family took to maintain their health, as well as changes to his work and social lifestyle, including his increased time spent with his family. He comments on his views of local, state, and federal government during this time, and expresses his expectations and hopes regarding the coming six months. 

Interviewed by Jonathan Kogan

Reuven Elmakies was a 43 year old engineer in 2020. He lived in Boca Raton, Florida, living with his wife and 5 children. When Covid-19 hit he wasn’t so afraid of what was happening because there wasn’t enough talk about it to become anxious. When it came to Florida that’s when he started to realize just how serious this really was. He talks about his fears and the different things he used to protect his family. He talks about changes in his and his family’s daily life by his work, his children’s education, by viewing TV more to stay on track of what was going on. He gives his option on how the government and different people in power were handling the situation.

Interviewed by Noa Elmakies

Sandra Coben was a 78 year old woman living in Boston, Massachusetts in March of 2020 when the Coronavirus Pandemic broke out. She discusses the isolation that she felt losing her husband during the pandemic and being unable to see family. Sandy comments on the Trump administration’s failure to adequately respond to the pandemic. She recalls feeling a similar sense of national panic yet unity during the pandemic to the one that was felt following the Kennedy assassination and 9/11. Sandy reflects on her recognition of the importance of having family and companionship.

Interviewed by Ariella Greenberg

In 2020, Benjamin Henner was an anesthesiologist who worked and lived in Boca Raton, Florida. He had 4 children: a college aged daughter, one daughter in highschool, a son in middle school and one son in early childhood. In the interview, Dr. Henner gave insight into how life as a doctor and father changed in the wake of the pandemic. He also shared his thoughts about the restrictions, school closings, daily life and contracting the virus. The interview illustrates the effects that the pandemic had on all facets of life.

Interviewed by Rebecca Henner

Howard Pitch was a 58 year old man living in Boca Raton, FL, when the COVID pandemic brought the American economy to a screeching halt in early 2020. Mr. Pitch established The Howard Pitch Entertainment Co. in 1998 from his living room in Nashville, TN, and had operated the business successfully since then. The COVID pandemic shut down live entertainment around the world, causing him to experience a lack of work for the first time since 1998. Howard Pitch shares his perspective on the COVID 19 pandemic from the time he first heard about the Coronavirus in December/January of 2020 up until the time of the interview, May 13, 2021. Howard discusses the economic impacts of the virus, and how his business went from being set for the year, to relying on financial aid, in less than 3 weeks. He shares his insight on the pandemic’s effects on different sized venues and links in the live entertainment industry. Pitch also speaks about the federal government, and its response to the virus and shutdowns. He talks about how the lack of business affected him personally, and how he responded to the adversity. Finally, Howard shares his thoughts on the political environment surrounding the pandemic, and the misinformation and partisan politics that it carried with it.

Interviewed by Eitan Pitch

Levi Plotkin was a 49 year old man living in Los Angeles, California. He lived with a wife, 4 children, and a dog. Levi recalls contracting the virus before its potency was widely known, and his time in the hospital when doctors did not know how to treat it. He discusses the symptoms of the virus, and the long term effects of contracting COVID-19. He comments on the toll it took on his mental health, as well as his physical health, and delves into the effect politics had on the lackluster efforts of the government to contain the virus. He also touches on the effect the pandemic had on not only him but many other American business owners.

Interviewed by Eli Plotkin

Daniel Rudensky was a radiologist at the Boca Medical Center. He was a 54-year-old husband and father to three daughters and lived in Boca Raton, Florida. Daniel remembers the crucial precautions that were taken in January 2020, which overcrowded hospitals and urged the medical professionals to do everything they could to minimize the spread of the virus; he discusses how the COVID-19 restrictions made people develop paranoia leading to the incessant precautionary measures. He remarks on the changed political voices of the nation and how COVID-19 affected the election outcomes.

Interviewed by Lily Rudensky

Rachel Gilinski is a freshman at Yeshiva University Stern College for women. Living with her 2 roommates in New York. Rachel recalls her experience during the pandemic. She discusses the changes in her life and how she dealt with the pandemic. She talks about adjusting to a new life in college amidst a pandemic and the changes that had to be made for it to work.

Interviewed by Menachem Gilinski

Barry Galitzer is a 50 year old male who lives in Hollywood Florida with his wife and three kids. Barry first recalls learning about the covid-19 pandemic while on vacation with his family and was sick at the time with covid symptoms, reflecting back on this Barry believed that he had the virus. Barry Galitzer both works as a dermatologist and runs his dermatology office. He discusses how he dealt with remaining open through lockdowns and other challenges along with how the pandemic impacted him socially. Barry Galitzer reflects on the difficulties his family went through and what long lasting effects of the pandemic may entail.

Interviewed by Steven Galitzer

Rabbi Levitt is the current Head of School at the private jewish Katz Yeshiva High School in Boca Raton, Florida as of 2021. Prior to that, he was Principal at Magen David Yeshivah High School in Brooklyn, New York and also served for twelve years as the Upper School Principal at Berman Hebrew Academy in Maryland. He also held teaching/administrative positions at Mesivta of North Jersey, The Frisch School and Bat Torah in Monsey. Rabbi Levitt is married and has 4 children. He recalls his initial thoughts of Covid when it first arose in early 2020 and his intentions / thought processes when deciding Covid policies for his school to make sure learning can continue in a safe environment. He discusses his challenges, achievements, regrets, and what he learned from this past year. He also discussed how he will implement what he learned during Covid 19 for the future to benefit his school and students.

Interviewed by Macabee Yablon