August 23, 2021
Shalom Friends,
Whether you are a life-long member or new to Congregation Beth Israel, we want to welcome you to our wonderful community and wish you a Shanah Tovah.
We are very excited to be offering hybrid services during the upcoming High Holy Days. What does this mean? You will have the choice of attending services either in person or remotely via Zoom. After much consultation with our COVID Task Force, we feel confident that we can provide a safe space for congregants to worship together. And for those who are hesitant, we encourage you to join us virtually. Either way, we are looking forward to seeing you.
The Board of Directors has recently adopted specific guidelines for in-person worshippers to follow while on the CBI campus. Please read these carefully. We will have ushers helping to enforce these rules.
COVID Reopening Task Force PLAN FOR HIGH HOLY DAYS
1. All attendees 12 years and older will be fully vaccinated.
2. All attendees will wear a mask covering both mouth and nose.
3. All attendees will sign in with contact information (name, phone number or e-mail address).
4. Social distancing will be maintained; households/relatives will be seated together as a ‘pod’ by ushers.
5. Prayerbooks will be placed on chairs prior to services.
6. Ushers will assist with having Family Service attendees exit onto the patio at the conclusion of the Family Service.
7. Tents/canopies will be set up on the patio/plaza for overflow and for children.
8. The shofar will be sounded at the patio/plaza doors facing the outside.
9. Aliyahs will be restricted to members of one household each; all those performing honors during a service must be in the sanctuary.
10. Ushers will assist with seating and with exiting, and with security, (especially at the open patio/plaza doors).
11. The front door and the 4 patio/plaza doors will remain open and the building fan will be on, for maximum ventilation.
12. Children under 12 years old will be allowed to attend all services but will be encouraged to limit attendance to the Family Service and the concluding service when the shofars are sounded, if at all possible/feasible.
We know there a lot of rules to follow. But as Jews, we love rules! After all, we are observing the High Holy Days because we are commanded to. In all seriousness, the safety of our community is of the utmost importance to us and we feel confident that however you worship with us, you will have a safe and meaningful experience.
For those planning on attending virtually, if you would like to have a machzor to follow along with, these are the following days when you can pick one up at the synagogue for your family to share.
……..Wednesday, August 25 12:00 – 4:00 pm
……..Friday, August 27 1:00 – 3:00 pm
……..Monday, August 30 12:00 – 4:00 pm
……..Wednesday, September 1 12:00 – 4:00 pm
For those planning on attending in person, we ask that you let us know which services you will be going to and how many there will be in your party. Contact the office for a link to an online form.
Lastly, this link will take you to our High Holy Day schedule. Contact the office for Zoom links.
We are grateful for your support (and patience) during this time and we hope that you and your loved ones have a very sweet year ahead, filled with blessings, good health, and peace.
Josh Greenberg, President
Rabbi Joshua Samuels