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Dear Members of Our Temple Sinai Community:
The health and safety of our congregation is paramount.
With COVID-related cases on the rise, and the High Holy Days fast approaching, we are doing our best to ensure that our community has every opportunity to begin 5782 in a spiritually uplifting manner, though perhaps not in the ways we have hoped and imagined. Accordingly, pursuant to conversations with Temple Sinai’s Medical Committee – as well other outside medical professionals, consultants, and counterparts at congregations in the tri-state area – we have made the decision to institute an indoor vaccine mandate with a verification process for all Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Moreover, all of our youth programming and family services will be outdoors only.
So what does this mean for Temple Sinai’s High Holy Day service offerings.
- Anyone age 12 and up attending High Holy Day services indoors (and thus in-person) must provide proof of COVID vaccination record.
- No one under the age of 12 will be allowed indoors for High Holy Day services this year.
- If you have a medical condition that precludes your receiving the COVID vaccine, please be in touch with our Executive Director, Ari Goldberg, to make appropriate arrangements.
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Attendees can send a picture of their vaccination card to the office via email to [email protected], come to the synagogue office and present their card, or show their card at the door when arriving for services.
- Temple Sinai will maintain a list of those who have presented a vaccine card so it only has to be presented once.
- Those without proof of vaccination on file, or who do not bring proof with them, will be unable to enter the building.
- Volunteers will be in place to ensure attendees abide by social-distancing and masking policies. Individuals not abiding by the policies after more than one request will be asked to leave the building.
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Masking indoors is required at all times by all individuals except those at the microphone leading services, chanting Torah/Haftarah or addressing the congregation.
- Masking is required for everyone over the age of 2 when outdoors under the tent. Volunteers will be in place to ensure attendees abide by social-distancing and masking policies here as well.
To accommodate these changes, we will make a few adjustments to our procedures for admission into our High Holy Day services this year:
HIGH HOLY DAY TICKETS WILL NOT BE MAILED IN ADVANCE
Members in good standing will check-in at the entrance to the building. Those who have submitted proof of vaccination as outlined above will have that noted on a list upon check-in. Members who have not already submitted proof of vaccination will be required to present their proof of vaccination before gaining admittance to the building. At that time, members will receive their ticket which they should retain for the balance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to facilitate their entry into the building.
- Masking policies and socially-distanced seating outside of immediate family units will be strictly enforced in the sanctuary.
- Masking policies and social distancing in the lobby areas will be strictly enforced as well.
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For those planning to join services through our Livestream option, you may pick-up a High Holiday Machzor from the synagogue in advance of the holidays.
We recognize the lateness of this decision and apologize for any inconvenience for those planning to attend services in-person this year. But with conditions changing so quickly, and with the Holidays fast approaching, these are the steps we must take to ensure the safety and well-being of our congregation and professional staff.
And while this communication will go out several times (in both e-mail and mail) to ensure everyone in the congregation has a chance to learn of and adhere to these policies, we encourage you to please share this message with your friends and fellow congregants who may not otherwise see it. We want everyone who would like to attend in-person to be given every opportunity to comply with these safeguards.
We also request that you click here to complete a brief survey about how you plan to celebrate the High Holy Days with Temple Sinai this year so that we may plan appropriately. Please fill out the survey even if you have completed a survey in previous weeks since we know that some people have changed their plans in the interim.
Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring that we can all remain healthy while enjoying an uplifting High Holy Day season together. Whether online or in-person, we look forward to being together as one Temple Sinai family as we begin the new year.
B’Shalom,
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