May 27, 2021 / 16 Sivan 5781
Dear Mount Zion Community,
Our last communication regarding Covid-19 was in March, when we wrote that all worship services and core activities, including Religious School, would be online through June 1. Since then, we have emerged, we pray, from the worst of the pandemic. Vaccines have been available to adults long enough for most to be immunized and are now available to teens 12-16 years. We know that the Jewish community ranks highest among all religious groups in vaccination rates. Unfortunately, community spread of Covid is still too high in Minnesota, but, thankfully, things are moving in the right direction.
We are writing with exciting news:
1. We will resume in-person services for two consecutive Friday Shabbat evenings at 6:00 pm (June 18 and June 25). We hope to be outside, but if needed, we will be able to pray in the sanctuary and Margolis Hall with the partition open.
a. We will let you know our plan by 3 pm on each Friday by email, the website, and our outgoing voicemail message.
b. We will live-stream the service.
c. We will provide ways for folks at home to have a prayerbook and, if desired, to connect with other congregants via zoom both during and after the service.
We want our services in June to feel like a celebration, and we sincerely encourage you to attend. We will ask you to RSVP through the website so we can get a sense of numbers in advance, but we will not turn people away. While our expectation is that all adults attending will be vaccinated unless there are medical reasons one cannot, several Covid-19 mitigation steps will remain in place to protect vulnerable members of our community, particularly children and those who are immunocompromised.*
a. Masks will be required, even outside.
b. Everyone should keep physical distance from anyone outside your household or self-identified pod.
c. Children are welcome; masks required for ages 5 and up.
d. You will be welcome to sing!
e. We will not be having “an oneg” (desserts), but definitely will experience the spirit of oneg (Hebrew word for “joy”).
2. We will return to only on-line services for the next two Friday Shabbat services, July 2 and 9. Very soon we will have to make decisions about how to conduct High Holy Days in September, and by collecting feedback about your reactions to both in-person and on-line services, we will have data on which to base our choices. Your input will be extremely important, timely, and helpful. We will likely return to in-person services for the rest of the summer.
3. At first, we will focus on in-person Friday night services, along with Tot Shabbat on the 2nd Saturdays of the month, and then consider other services and events over the rest of the summer.
4. For life-cycle events, we will now allow up to 150 people, but, because of our masking requirement, we cannot allow food at these events at this time. Even though many feel safe eating outdoors, the possibility of inclement weather will preclude planning for it.
What a year this has been! We have tried to navigate Mount Zion’s opening with clarity and consistency as the scientific understanding of how COVID-19 is transmitted has advanced. For most of this year, we have been in a limited phase of opening (Phase I). While we have not yet achieved our Phase II condition of reduced community spread (under 4% test positivity rate for four weeks in the surrounding counties), we have achieved the Phase III condition of availability of vaccines and feel optimistic about moving into increased opening by the Fall.
Throughout it all, we have been guided by Jewish values (listed in our last letter). One of these values is chesed: “…we will act with tremendous love and kindness toward each other.” Please let us know how we can help you during this transition back to more in-person services and events including any accessibility needs.
With excitement and with prayers for health,
Michael Wall, President
Phil Goldman, Chair, Opening Task Force
Sue Summit, Religious School Director
Larry Solomon, Executive Director
Adam Stock Spilker, Rabbi
The Opening Task Force members (with their expertise): Phil Goldman, Chair (legal, OSHA/industrial hygiene); Ian Ellis (corporate facilities manager); David Knapp (safety and security); Dr. Gary Kravitz (public health, infectious disease practitioner); Julie Ostrowsky (epidemiology); Joan Ostrove (inclusion and accessibility); Neil Segal (operations, Ames Center performance venue); Michael Wall (President), Larry Solomon, Sue Summit, and Rabbi Spilker
*If someone in your family wants to get a Covid-19 vaccine but is having trouble locating a vaccination site, please contact Mount Zion’s Caring Community for assistance through Shai Avny (savny@mzion.org).
