Dear Center Family and Friends,
With the advent of widespread social distancing to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, we face a dramatic upheaval in civic and Jewish norms. The situation is fluid, and the advisories we receive change each day. One of the few certainties to emerge, however, is the awareness that this health threat may take weeks, even several months, to subside.
As you are aware, we have cancelled all regular worship and programs at the Center. We are now offering virtual services every weekday morning and evening, as well as other opportunities for learning and linking via the internet.
However, under current synagogue policy, which prohibits live streaming on Shabbat, we would be unable to offer our community any form of spiritual connection throughout the 25 hours of Sabbath rest.
In times of pressing need,
halakhah
(Jewish law) empowers rabbinic authorities with some leeway in the interpretation of religious law. This flexibility does not include permission to violate Jewish law (unless it’s to save a person’s life), but does allow a rabbi to set aside certain concerns that would typically play a role in ritual considerations.
There are many halakhic challenges to live-streaming Shabbat worship – most of which are far easier to resolve through automation at the synagogue’s end than at home where virtual attendees use electronic devices to access the service. Without dismissing or minimizing these issues or, for that matter, making a sweeping determination about live-streaming Shabbat and holiday worship as a permanent synagogue feature, as the Jacksonville Jewish Center’s halakhic authority (
mara d’atra
), I believe the exigencies of the current situation allow live-streaming Shabbat worship for the duration of the current health crisis – so long as we’re able to create a platform to eliminate the major halakhic obstacles associated with broadcasting on Shabbat. If I believed this couldn’t be done, there would be little point in writing this message.
Whether or not live-streaming Shabbat and holiday worship ever becomes a permanent religious policy will depend on appropriate study with, and guidance from, the Religious Life Committee, input from the Board, and my approval as the Center’s
mara d’atra
. This process, outlined by our by-laws, is how we operate under normal circumstances.
But these aren’t normal circumstances by a long shot. The notion that six days a week we reach out to our community in multiple ways, yet then go mute on Shabbat
–
the day when tradition
most
emphasizes the importance of community – is unthinkable. At a time of social isolation, we need spiritual connection with each other more than ever!
I am grateful to my fellow clergy, Rabbi Rosenblum and Hazzan Holzer, for their full agreement in taking this step, and appreciate the support of our President of the Board, Benjamin Setzer, and Vice-President of Religious Life, Stuart Appelbaum.
In order to resolve the major halakhic challenges presented by live-streaming on Shabbat, the Center is in the process of purchasing and installing the necessary hardware and software to offer this service. God willing, we hope to have this up and running by next Shabbat, March 27
th
-28
th
. More information will follow.
For this week, Hazzan will lead an abbreviated
Kabbalat Shabbat
service on Friday, March 20
th
, at 6 PM via Facebook Live, as well as a musical
Havdalah
service to bid farewell to Shabbat on Saturday evening, March 21
st
, at 8:15 PM. In addition, our clergy team is planning to record a pre-Shabbat video with music and material on this week’s Torah portion to enhance your preparation for Shabbat.
There are many who will welcome this news, even as some will be ambivalent at the thought of accessing Shabbat worship online. There certainly is no religious imperative to avail oneself of this service if uncomfortable. Live-streaming does not a
minyan
make, and we’ll be doing nothing that a person couldn’t do with a
siddur
and a
humash
on his/her own at home.
Still, there is a deep hunger and need to be a part of a community, especially on Shabbat, God’s jewel in the crown of sacred time. With Heaven’s help and the ingenuity of human technology, we look forward to celebrating Shabbat together even when we have no choice but to remain apart.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner
Jack F. Shorstein Senior Rabbinic Chair
