Dear friends,

 

As the threat of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) expands, the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford is working hard with our partners to slow the virus's spread and maintain essential functions in the event of a local outbreak.

Together with the Jewish Community Foundation and Jewish Family Services, we are regularly convening local Jewish agencies, day schools and synagogues to share best practices, assure continuity of services, and prepare for emergency response. We are also working closely with local officials.

In order to help contain the spread of COVID-19, the Federation staff will be working remotely beginning on Tuesday morning, March 17. We will be checking email and voicemail regularly, including the main Federation telephone number, 860.232.4483. You can find a full staff contact list here.

In addition, we are sad to report that we are saying an early goodbye to our shinshinim (Israeli Young Emissaries), Michal Hacmon and Shaked Buzaglo, who have been recalled to Israel by the Jewish Agency along with hundreds of their peers from across North America. They have done an incredible job of strengthening the living bridge between Israel and Greater Hartford, impacting the lives of thousands of students and community members across our region.

We have compiled a page of COVID-19 resources here for your convenience. 

In this week's Torah reading, Ki Tisa, we are commanded to each bring a half shekel, no more and no less, to the holy Temple.  It symbolizes that each of us, no matter our position in the community, has a mutual obligation to others; we are only complete when our half shekel is joined with others to form a whole.

The strength of this community is that we have always looked after each other, with vital institutions committed to address the kinds of challenges we now face. In these challenging times, we stand united to ensure that vital needs are met and that we emerge with even greater vibrancy, unity, and dedication.

Shabbat Shalom.

Carolyn Gitlin Board Chair Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford	David Waren President and CEO Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford