TIC Update 3/9
March 9, 2020
Dear Friends,

We are all anxiously awaiting information from the Department of Health which will hopefully provide guidance including the quarantine status of those who were in the TIC building on 2/29.  Until then, and as our synagogue currently remains closed, we wanted to share information that may be helpful. Please know that we are thinking of the members of our extraordinary community at this trying time and are always available by phone or email.  We will continue to share updates as soon as they become available.  

Contacting Synagogue Staff
Our synagogue staff is currently working from home and able to remotely access our work computers.  Please feel free to conduct business as usual with members of our team via email and/or to request (by email) that a staff member give you a call. Rabbi Tucker's cell number is 917-861-6973 and may be used at any time.

Hesed Support
The challenges of this moment can create anxiety and isolation along with physical needs from those who may be in quarantine.  Please feel free to reach out to Rabbi Tucker or to Judith Grand and Julie Breakstone, co-chairs of our H esed Committee,  hesedcircle@templeisraelcenter.org , if either you or someone you know of might need extra help and support at this time.

Weekday Minyan Services
The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) has ruled that those who wish to be part of a weekday minyan to recite prayers, including Mourner's Kaddish, that require a quorum may connect virtually through either audio or video connection with a minyan in which ten individuals are physically gathered in person (preferably one within their own time zone). For more information see Minyan via the Internet .

Below are two synagogues that offer live streaming of their daily minyan services:

Morning Minyan: 6:15 AM Monday/Thursday; 6:30 AM Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday; 9:00 AM, Sunday; Evening Minyan 8:00 PM (Sunday-Thursday)

Morning Minyan (Monday-Friday) 8:00 AM, Evening Minyan (Monday-Thursday) 5:45 PM

Shabbat Services
The following is a statement from the CJLS regarding livestreaming on Shabbat and Yom Tov:
"Our committee has not made a formal ruling on livestreaming on Shabbat and Yom Tov...but for the current sha'at hadehak , (pressing circumstances) those congregations that are already offering streaming and that are still able to hold services with a minyan, should encourage members whose health may be at risk, or whose presence may be a risk to others, to stay home and make use of this option if the alternative would be to risk their own health or the health of others by attending services. Every attempt should be made to reduce potential violations of Shabbat (for example, activating the stream before Shabbat or holiday, or having the stream activated in an unusual way, or by someone who is not of the Jewish faith)."

Those in our community on quarantine who take a more traditional approach to Shabbat will, by necessity, wish to simply remain at home where we should daven on our own, preferably at the same time that the community would normally daven, omitting those prayers (like Barkhu, Kedushah, and any form of the Kaddish) that require a minyan.  In lieu of the Torah service, individuals should read through the weekly Torah portion or study it together with someone in their home. (The recommended order of this service would thus be: Shacharith, Torah study, Ashrei, Musaf, and concluding prayers.)

Recognizing the diversity of needs and practices in our congregation, especially at this moment when many feel an extra desire for community, those whose observance of Shabbat includes the use of technology should also be aware of the live stream options that exist:

Friday Night: 6:00 PM, Saturday Morning: 9:00 AM

Friday Night: 6:15 PM, Saturday Morning: 9:45 AM

Friday Night: 6:15 PM, Saturday Morning: 9:15 AM

Saturday Morning: 9:30 AM


Purim

We are currently working on a virtual way to share a sense of community tonight even as we cannot join in person to celebrate the holiday.  Keep watching your email for further information!

While we may be temporarily separated from one another physically, we remain TIC - together in community!

                
Marc Berman                  Rabbi Annie Tucker                 Mara Braunfeld              Jeremy Perler  
President                         Senior Rabbi                            Director of Learning     Security Chair   
                                                                                        and Engagement