Dear Friends,
Beginning today at 6 PM, we will convene a “virtual minyan” using Zoom so that those who are in mourning and observing a yahrtzeit can say Mourners’ Kaddish.
Even in this digital age, our Conservative movement has held firm to the position that the definition of a minyan is ten Jews in the same room. However, Jewish law has always allowed for flexibility in extraordinary circumstances, or what the sages called “
sha’at ha-d’chak.”
Clearly we are living in a time of extraordinary challenge and, as we have already seen, creating virtual spaces to pray together, celebrate together, and mourn together has provided powerful spiritual medicine to many, just in these past three days.
Therefore, we join with dozens of Conservative synagogues across the country in creating a temporary solution to this time of social distancing. Assuming that 10 faces are visible in the Zoom meeting, we’ll say Mourners' Kaddish at each of our daily 6 PM “virtual” services, Sunday-Friday (Our Friday service will not include the Shabbat evening service and will not extend into Shabbat. Kabbalat Shabbat is technically recited before Shabbat starts as a spiritual preparation for the day). We not be extending this exception to the other prayers that can only be recited with a minyan (other kaddishes, barchu, etc.)
We are particularly glad to be able to provide this sacred opportunity to those paying tribute to the memory of loved ones, but encourage those who may not have been coming to minyan to join us as well—both for comfort and community and to ensure that we have the “virtual” presence of a minyan.
It is important for us to stress that, as is true in all cases of “
sha’at ha-d’chak,” this change is not a permanent one and we look forward to the joy we’ll experience by sharing in the same physical space of our beautiful Fonberg Family Chapel for minyan when this temporary accommodation is no longer necessary.
Our “virtual minyan” will be accessible in two ways:
1) For those who would like to “count” in the minyan and say kaddish, clicking on this link
will bring you into the online conference. Those who have not used Zoom before will need to follow the prompts to install the program on your computer or phone. You must also enable video and audio to participate and use a smartphone or a computer with a webcam and microphone. NOTE: Please email Ritual Director Avi Mitzner at
amitzner@shearith.org if you can commit to joining in for the Zoom meeting tonight and/or for other nights this week to count towards the minyan.
2) You can participate passively by watching the stream which will be simulcast on our Congregation Shearith Israel Facebook page. Please keep in mind that watching on Facebook live will not help us form a minyan nor does it meet the requirements of participation for this temporary solution since Facebook live is a one-way stream.
Should you have any technical difficulties connecting, please try accessing the help option on the lower right hand size of the zoom website. Should you have specific questions about this new policy or about participation in a virtual minyan, please be in touch with
Avi.
A reminder that we will still be streaming our Shabbat morning services live from Beck Family Sanctuary at 9:30 AM. Look out for additional opportunities to pray together, including Shababa this Friday at 5:15 on Facebook live, and many others as well. As new events are added we'll keep you posted through email and social media updates.
Our staff and klei kodesh are in constant contact, brainstorming ways for us to remain connected and to continue to serve you through these next few weeks. Please be in touch if we can help in any way!
Rabbi Ari Sunshine
Rabbi Adam Roffman
Rabbi Shira Wallach
Hazzan Itzhak Zhrebker
Avi Mitzner
