August 21, 2020
ROCKLAND STORIES
Flexibility and hope
Local yeshiva day schools plan to reopen

It’s never been an issue before, certainly not in living memory.

But none of us has lived through a pandemic. We’ve never had to worry about our children getting covid-19, an infectious disease that until recently seemed definitely not to attack children very often, but a disease for which there is no cure. We haven’t had to worry about teachers and other school staff members getting it, and we haven’t had to worry about kids bringing the disease back home and infecting their families.
Jump for joy at Rockland fundraiser

The Reform Temple of Rockland invites religious school students to take the “Jump for ‘Joy-Ful’ Judaism” jump rope challenge, on Sunday, August 23, at 10:45 a.m. The socially distanced challenge is in the shul parking lot. Participants will get an RTR jump rope and pledge to jump a minimum of 100 times to help feed needy Rockland families. The children will set their own goals and secure donations for them. Those who meet their goals will get an additional $25 donation from the shul. Proceeds will go to People to People and the Rhoda Bloom Kosher Food Pantry. Participants will get free treats from a visiting ice cream truck.
Shofar blowing in Rockland

The Jewish Federation & Foundation of Rockland County and the Rockland Board of Rabbis are collaborating to ensure that everyone who wants to can hear the sound of the shofar to welcome the new year. Shofar blowing began this morning on rosh chodesh Elul, at Hillel of Rockland, with Rabbi Dov Oliver, and will continue through the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. At each location, the shofar blowing will take place at 9 a.m.; please get there between 8:45 and 9. There will be volunteers to greet and direct cars, and community members will be reminded to wear masks, remain six feet apart from everyone else, and/or stay by their car. Please adhere to the rules of the host synagogue. The first 30 cars will be allowed entry on each day.
The yuckies are coming
Tales of teshuvah

Like most parents these days, I spend a lot of time wondering about the impact that this pandemic will have on our children and their development.

When we were bike riding on our block, a neighbor passed by. My preschooler started screaming “the yuckies are coming,” and flew down the street to escape him. We had given him the message that people are carriers of the yuckies, and in his mind, everyone outside of our bubble is yucky. I realized that I needed to reteach my kid some of things I had told him about the virus so he wouldn’t go around our neighborhood calling everyone “yucky.”
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Looking Back - Moving Forward
SEPT 10, 7PM
During a short sixty minutes, you will hear, from the comfort of your home, how over the last five months Federation and Rockland County’s Jewish community navigated COVID’s uncharted waters. You will see how, together, we worked to help those among us who are most vulnerable.
SEP 13, 9AM
Run in memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of others
SEP 13, 10:30AM
Community fundraiser to support JCC Rockland
HMCTE Women circle event
SEP 17, 7PM
Empowering Women Through Unity and Philanthropy
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