28 I’yar (43 Omer)/ May 22, 2020
Lichvod our Beloved White Shul Members and Mispallelim:
Shalom U’vracha and A Gutten Erev Shabbos Kodesh! We sincerely hope that this letter finds you and your dear family safe and healthy in the midst of these challenging times. Your emunah u’bitachon and overall strength and fortitude are truly admirable— keep up all the great shteiging in your Avodas Hashem.
After the governor’s recent remarks regarding religious gatherings, and after countless hours of consulting with Rabbanim, doctors, medical health professionals and policy experts, we are now ב”ה prepared to roll out an appropriate and measured plan of gradually re-opening our incredible Shul.
Please read the following clear and concise guidelines carefully:
I: OUTDOOR MINYANIM
- Until now, we have only permitted porch/front-lawn minyanim, with each individual remaining on his own property. Beginning today, Erev Shabbos, Friday, May 22, OUTDOOR MINYANIM may now be held in BACKYARDS as well, with a minyan gathered in a single backyard– as long as ALL the following criteria are satisfied:
- No more than 15 people may attend.
- Participants must bring their own siddur/chumash/chair or shtender. No Tzedakah box should be passed around.
- Social distancing guidelines must be strictly enforced- minimum 6 ft. distance between mispallelim.
- Masks- fully covering the nose and mouth- must be worn at all times (and donned prior to joining the minyan).
- No congregating/socializing (and no kiddush/food/drink) before or after the minyan.
- Minyanim should proceed efficiently in order to minimize exposure. Especially with such a small group, please keep in mind the length of your Shemoneh Esrei so as not create a tircha di’tzibura by making others wait for you.
- Attendees should be limited to those who are halachikally required to daven. Children under the age of bar-mitzvah should not attend.
- Each minyan must have a gabbai/mashgiach who will oversee the minyan and ensure that all participants strictly adhere to all the above.
- Always do your utmost to make a Kiddush Hashem, and do not disturb neighbors in any way.
- Those who may NOT daven with a minyan:
- Anyone exhibiting ANY COVID-19-like symptoms may not join. (This includes fever, chills, unusual muscle aches or fatigue, coughing/sneezing, loss of smell/taste, etc.)
- One who had, or thinks he may have had, COVID-19, until at least 14 days after symptoms have fully resolved, and there has been no fever for at least 7 days.
- One who may have had recent contact with someone who has COVID-19, even if you are not currently showing any symptoms.
- One who is immunocompromised or immunosuppressed from illness or medications, or has any underlying health conditions with a higher risk of complications from COVID-19.
- The elderly should not join unless you have first cleared it with your personal physician.
- Additional recommendations:
- Hand sanitizer should be available for use if any shared objects were touched inadvertently. One should sanitize his hands before re-entering his home.
- Use the restroom at home before attending an outdoor minyan so you don’t have to use someone else’s restroom.
PLEASE NOTE: Even in light of the above, our opinion is that that there is no chiyuv (halachik
II: GRADUAL RETURN AND RE-OPENING OF THE SHUL
- With abundant Siyata Dishmaya, we hope to start returning to our Shul this coming Sunday evening, Rosh Chodesh Sivan, May 24.
- It will be a gradual and limited return, beginning with allowing indoor and outdoor minyanim on the Shul’s premises for Minchah and Maariv ONLY (both Plag and B’zman). We will send out clear guidelines and reminders on Sunday IY”H.
- If all goes smoothly and well -and everyone is following the social-distancing measures and all delineated protocols- we will continue mid-week with allowing limited Shacharis minyanim.
- We hope and daven that all proceeds safely and smoothly, and we can expand the number of minyanim for the upcoming Yom Tov of Shavuos, to allow minyanim for Vasikin and later in the morning. We are also discussing the options for learning on leil Shavuos, and will certainly keep you informed.
- There will be inevitably be some bumps along the way, as we experiment with best practices and procedures in a fluid environment, subject to ever-changing governmental guidelines and medical recommendations. Thank you very much in advance for your patience, cooperation, and understanding.
III: SAFETY MEASURES IN GENERAL:
- THE VIRUS HAS NOT YET GONE AWAY. Yes, we have ב”ה seen the curve significantly flatten, but we must continue to demonstrate utmost caution in strictly maintaining all social distancing measures and guidelines every time we step outside our homes. And we should continue to do our best to remain at home as much as possible, venturing outside only for minyanim, essential activities, and necessary exercise.
- If you are in a (crowded) location wherein you come within 6 ft. of others, you must wear a mask. When walking or exercising outside- even if maintaining a 6 ft. separation from others- we still strongly recommend the donning of a mask.
IV: PLAYGROUPS:
- Please consult the prior letter sent by the Rabbanim regarding playgroup payments.
- Anyone who can pay the dedicated playgroup morahs/teachers in full- especially those teachers who have, and are continuing to, work and teach via Zoom and similar, ta’vo a’leihem brachah. It is certainly praiseworthy if parents can pay in full if possible, and a significant percentage may indeed come from ma’aser funds. (Please first consult with one of the Rabbanim.)
We miss you more than you can ever imagine! But we want nothing more than for everyone to be safe, secure, and healthy, and we will continue to daven for abundant Siyata Dishmaya for refuos, yeshuos, and endless besuros tovos for all!
Have a most meaningful, uplifting, and truly awesome Shabbos Mevorchim!
With boundless love and bi’birkas Kol Tuv always mei’omek li’beinu,
Rabbi Eytan Feiner
Rabbi Motti Neuburger
