Dear members of the Los Angeles Orthodox Jewish community and beyond,

We, the undersigned Rabbis, Heads of Schools and Doctors in our community, want to thank you for making so many sacrifices in recent weeks to practice careful physical distancing. It has made a significant impact in protecting our community and flattening the curve in our neighborhoods.

We know that the communal, close knit and multigenerational nature of our interconnected community puts us at higher risk for rapid disease transmission.

We, therefore, urge our community to maintain careful adherence to all physical distancing practices for the time being in order to prevent a resurgence of disease transmission and loss of life.

In consultation with local and state health officials, as well as Rabbinic organizations throughout the country, we strongly encourage everyone in our community to continue to carefully follow all the health and safety physical distancing guidelines including but not limited to the following:

  • Do not leave your home for errands besides for essential needs (i.e. groceries or pharmacy)
  • Do not bring children along for these short trips
  • Everyone is encouraged to wear masks over their nose and mouth whenever outside
  • While taking walks outdoors, please maintain physical distancing and avoid congregating

Furthermore,
  • Individuals who tested positive should share that information with people whom they were in close contact with.
  • All elderly individuals and those who are immunocompromised should stay at home (remember that elderly individuals exposed to young children is an especially serious risk)

There should also be no gatherings:

  • No minyanim, indoors or outdoors
  • Only individuals living under the same roof should gather, and thus Shabbat meals should consist only of immediate family members living together
  • No playgroups or play dates

*All the above applies equally to those who have already had COVID-19 and those who have not.

*If you have any non-COVID medical concerns, please see your doctor or go to the emergency room or urgent care. There have been reports of people who have not sought medical attention during this time and their illnesses have thus gotten much worse than they would have been had they sought medical attention sooner.

Schools and shuls will remain closed until further notice and it is deemed safe and appropriate. We do not yet know exactly when or how things will begin to return to normal but will continue to follow all governmental and medical guidance, and keep the community informed. We deeply want to get the shuls and schools re-opened as quickly as possible. The mitzvah of pikuach nefesh is our primary concern, and through these behaviors we can help to ensure that our community institutions will be able to open as soon as possible.
Blood Donations
There is currently a blood shortage. If you would like to help, you are encouraged to make appointments to donate blood at your local hospital. If you could like to make an appointment at Cedars-Sinai please call 310-423-4170 to schedule appointment (Cedars-Sinai and others will also be scheduling blood drives in the community over the coming months).
Plasma Donations
Many people who have recovered from coronavirus are asking how they can donate their plasma to help current patients. Please contact your local hospital or Cedars-Sinai at covid19plasma@cshs.org to determine if you are eligible to donate convalescent plasma for investigational use.
COVID-19 Testing
There are many LA County sites for rapid drive through testing, including Cedars-Sinai, all of which can be arranged through this link: https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/

If you are symptomatic and would like to be tested, your doctor can also send you to urgent care for testing.
We pray to be spared from further tragedy, and for the time when we will be able to return to our routines and celebrate together again in good health along with our entire community.

Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Gershon Bess, Congregation Kehillas Yaakov
Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, Pico Shul 
Rabbi Asher Brander, LINK
Rabbi Daniel Cavalier, Young Sephardic Community Center
Rabbi Moshe Cohen, The Community Shul
Rabbi Mendy Cunin, Chabad of Larchmont
Rabbi Yossi Dalfin, Chabad of WeHo West 
Rabbi Pini Dunner, Young Israel of North Beverly Hills
Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn, Kehillat Yavneh
Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox, Young Israel Hancock Park
Rabbi Daniel Grama, Westside Shul
Rabbi Eli Hecht, Chabad of South Bay
Rabbi Avraham Y. Hirschman, Ateres Avigail; Pico Bais Medrash
Rabbi Alan Kalinsky, Orthodox Union, West Coast
Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, B’nai David-Judea
Rabbi Yaakov Krause, Young Israel of Hancock Park, Toras Emes
Rabbi Moshe Levin, Bais Bezalel, Chabad
Rabbi Meyer H. May, Simon Wiesenthal Center
Rabbi Elazar Muskin, Young Israel of Century City
Rabbi Shimon Raichik, Congregation Levi Yitzchak Chabad
Rabbi Dovid Revah, Adas Torah
Rabbi Jonathan Rosenberg, Shaarey Zedek
Rabbi Nachum Sauer, YULA Boys High School
Rabbi Ari Segal, Shalhevet High School
Rabbi Yosef Shusterman, Chabad of North Beverly Hills
Rabbi Joshua Spodek, YULA Girls High School
Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin, YULA Boys High School
Rabbi Y. Boruch Sufrin, Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy
Rabbi Yitzchok Summers, Anshei Emes
Rabbi Sholom Tendler, Mesivta Birkas Yitzchok
Rabbi Kalman Topp, Beth Jacob Congregation
Rabbi Avrohom Union, Rabbinical Council of California
Rabbi Yakov Vann, Calabasas Shul 
Rabbi Jason Weiner, Cedars-Sinai; Knesset Israel Synagogue
Rabbi Aharon Wilk, Gindi Maimonides Academy
Rabbi David Zargari, Bet Midrash Torat Hayim; Tashbar
Rabbi Avraham Zajac, Chabad Sola

Dr. Robert Adler, MD
Dr. Ernest H. Agatstein MD
Dr. Shahrooz Eshaghian, MD
Dr. Ivor Geft, MD
Dr. Adam Mamelak, MD
Dr. Ron Nagel, MD
Dr. Sam Ross, MD
Dr. Zachary Rubin, MD
Dr. Albert Shamouelian, MD
Dr. Rhanana Sachs, MD
Dr. Shelly Schwartz, MD
Dr. Steve Simons, MD
Dr. Steven Tabak, MD
Dr. Karen Toubi, MD
Dr. Robert Ungar, MD
YULA Girls High School | 310-203-0755 | www.yulagirls.org