Chevre Friends
Our Sages taught (Mishnah Pirkei Avot 1:1)
"Be deliberate in judgement..." In the wake of a flattening curve, relaxed restrictions, and government permission for houses of worship to reopen, a consensus has emerged in the Jewish community, across lines of affiliation and denomination, that pays heed to the above quoted Rabbinic principle. Please visit our homepage for updates, government advisories, and statements from major Jewish and other religious organizations.
Congregations, as a rule, are proceeding with caution, and not rushing to open and resume full scale in person operation. Though we struggle with "Zoom fatigue," and yearn for direct eye contact, physical proximity, and the chance to celebrate and mourn together as a collective, our overriding imperative is preservation of life, health, and safety. This ethic is explicit in the Talmud, Tractate Yoma; "Nothing stands in the way of
Pikuach Nefesh, saving a life..."
[There are a few noted exceptions not relevant to the present conversation].
In order to address these pressing issues,
Synagogue Council has organized a virtual workshop
Opening Our Synagogues, Tuesday, May 26, 10am, led by a panel of health care professionals who are also active in the Jewish community and thus conversant with the dynamics of Synagogue life. For details and link to registration:
Click here. For our Facebook event:
Click here. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns:
dbernat@synagoguecouncil.org, 617-244-6506 x18.
Stay safe and sound... Shabbat Shalom
David Bernat, PhD, Executive Director
On behalf of the staff and board, Synagogue Council of MA
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