IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATES AND POLICIES

More and more people in our community and in our world are infected with Covid-19. To save lives we need everyone to be hyper vigilant about proper hygiene and social distancing protocols.

Please follow these important guidelines:

  • Social Distancing: Groups, whether of teenagers, families, walking partners, etc. must NOT walk or congregate together. Please avoid any and all group activities. Just as we have closed schools and shuls, so too any discretionary activity you engage in should be carefully scrutinized as well. Do not have Shabbos guests.  When it is necessary to be in the proximity of others make sure to distance yourself nine feet or more from any other individual. We recognize fully how hard this is and has been on everyone, but it is imperative.

  • Minyanim: Absolutely do NOT make any private minyanim.

  • Pesach Guests: Pesach is a time when many gather with friends and family or join together in community seders. Barring a major downgrading of COVID - 19 concerns by the CDC, it is absolutely clear such gatherings should not happen. The best public health advice at this moment is for everyone to stay at home. This is for your health and that of everyone else. Consequently, Pesach Sedarim should ONLY be celebrated with the members of one's immediate household. To be clear, especially since those over the age of 65 are at increased risk of death from COVID - 19, seniors in our community should prioritize taking care of their health over family celebrations for the duration of this crisis. This holds true even if it means not spending seder night together with family or friends. I understand this is a heartbreaking reality and a major disruption for many. Individuals with potentially extenuating circumstances should contact me.

  • Shopping: Please do as much shopping as possible on line. If you must leave your home to shop do it as locally as possible. Indeed, there may be some specialty Pesach products not available in our neighborhood. Please do without them. Travelling to other areas puts you and our community at risk.

  • Mikvaos: The guidelines for our mikvaos have been prepared with input from medical experts and in accordance with halacha. For the guidelines please Click Here:

  • Hygiene: Wash regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol based sanitizers are equally effective if soap and water are not readily available. Cough or sneeze into your elbow or into a tissue which should be immediately placed in the trash and then wash your hands. Avoid covering your cough or sneeze with your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth without a tissue.

  • Play Dates/Day Camps This is not the time for play-dates, playgroups or informal camps. We must look out for the welfare of our children and maintain proper social distancing protocols. Although it appears that children are not as affected by the virus, they can be carriers.
 
 Finally, if you see or hear of someone not adhering to these guidelines please speak to them directly. While it may be uncomfortable, nonetheless, it is important to communicate the severity of this issue. Speak firmly, but respectfully. Do not make use of social platforms to call people out. We must strive to assure the safety of ourselves and our community, but we must do so in a calm and civilized fashion. 

STAY HOME; SAVE LIVES!

May Hashem watch over us and over all, and protect us from this and all illness!


Rabbi Avraham Shmidman