As the news of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) unfolds, we continue to update our own response. As a community, we continue to make safety our number one priority while we make decisions about how we are moving forward. We have made significant modifications to the way we celebrate Shabbat, Hebrew school, our youth, and approach celebrations.
Please understand that we may take additional preventive measures to stem the spread of COVID-19 when appropriate to the changing environment.
General policies within the synagogue: o People with compromised immune systems and the elderly should stay home. As such, all of our Hazak programs have been canceled for the next 2 weeks. This includes Game Day and Exercise Classes. o Anyone who is ill or suspects that they could be ill should not enter the building.
Shabbat Services While we implement important modifications, we will have Shabbat services this week. Please refer to the calendar or call the office for future Shabbat services. o Men’s club will lead services this Shabbat and we will host an Aufruf for
James Nachamkin and Melissa Tallis. o We suggest that people maintain social distance and not sit close to one another in the pews or during Kiddush. o There should be no kissing, no touching, no fist-bumping or hugging. People should refrain from kissing the Mezuzot, the siddurim, and the Torah. Handwipes will be
available for your to disinfect the siddurim o We encourage people to bring their own Tallitot. o Kiddush: We continue to eat this seudah (meal) together. We are bringing in additional staff to serve us lunch. We have confirmed with our caterers that they are upholding standards of health safety. All of our staff will be gloved and attendees will not be serving themselves.
Hebrew School: o We are following Bellmore and Merrick school districts’ school participation policy. As long as the public schools remain open, there will be Hebrew school. o We ask that if teachers or students are sick, they stay home. We respect the decision of anyone who prefers to not attend HS. o As of now the Dalet service on March 21 will continue. We ask that families limit the guests that they bring to the service. o If a child appears ill, we will be taking their temperature and may send them home. o We will have Jr. Congregation.
Food Pantry Growing concerns during this difficult time has strained the essential food supply of local supermarkets, drug stores and wholesale clubs. The Food Pantry is relied upon by less fortunate people throughout our community. The Food Pantry will remain open and continue to serve the needs of the community. The Food Pantry is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 10:00am to 12:00pm. During this time please consider making a monetary or food donation (non-perishable dry goods only).
While we attend to the physical health of our community, we are also cognizant of the emotional isolation which is taking place. We read that the broken luchot (tablets) which Moshe destroys in our Parsha are kept with the whole luchot in the ark. We don't just discard things that are sacred to us simply because they have a few cracks. We carry along those who are most vulnerable. Those who have self quarantined, especially those who live alone, are experiencing not only the fear of contracting COVID-19 but also dealing with the disconnection from the world. In the words of Rabbi Yosef Kanesfky, Bnai David-Judea, “Every hand that we don’t shake must become a phone call that we place. Every embrace that we avoid must become a verbal expression of warmth and concern. Every inch and every foot that we physically place between ourselves and another must become thought as to how we might be of help to that other, should the need arise.” Please touch base with anyone who you think may be experiencing significant social isolation. Call the office or email Rabbi Bernstein or Cantor Kowitz. (Rabbi.Bernstein@cbohr.org, Cantor.Kowitz@cbohr.org) to do a check in. We want to hear from you and be there for you.
We continue to ask people to use good judgment in the decisions they make regarding attending events and staying home when they might be sick.
May you and your loved ones be healthy and safe. Please check-in for further updates.
Shabbat Shalom, Bruce Nelson, President Dahlia Bernstein, Rabbi
From Cantor Joshua Kowitz
Dear Congregants,
This week we read Parshat Ki Tissa, this happens to be one of the richest Torah portions in the entire Torah. There was so much to choose from to talk about that it was hard to limit it to one main idea. Rather than focusing on the big event of the Parsha which was the idol worshipping of the golden calf, I wanted to discuss another section that I found to be very poignant.
In chapter 34 of the book of Exodus, Moses is carving the two tablets. God comes down to Moses in a cloud and says the famous line that we recite on the high holidays as well as the three festivals during the Torah service “Adonai, Adonai, El Rachum V’chanun” etc. after God tells Moses the thirteen attributes of God, God continues in verse 7 by saying “yet he does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.” This is a very troubling line in our portion which is saying that the children and grandchildren and third and fourth generations will be punished because of the sins of their grandparents and Parents.
This really doesn’t seem fair or right to me, our Chumash says in response to this, “Bothered by the apparent unfairness of the text, a Hasidic interpretation takes it to mean that God holds parents responsible for not giving their children a proper and religious and moral upbringing. We recognize the unfairness of social punishment, yet it is true that the bad habits of the parents are too often repeated by their children, for whom parents are the primary role models.” (Etz Chayim 541)
Today in our modern society we often get caught up in our fast paced world, it is always go, go, go. Take the kids to school, get work done in the office, pick up the kids from school or sports practice/extracurricular activities, and put food on the table. Check the boxes, make sure our kids are getting a good education, making sure the bills are paid. Yet amidst all of this we lose sight of the most important things which is love and family. One could argue that all of the things I mentioned are about family, however I think they are the surface level things that go along with having a family.
Do we really know what is going on in our children’s lives? When was the last time we had a real conversation with them that wasn’t, “How was school? How was your day? Are you hungry?” We rarely ask them, “How are you feeling? Are you overwhelmed? What things are making your life difficult? How can I help or would you just like someone to listen to you?” We need to start having those kinds of conversations with our children.
When was the last time we showed our spouse how much they meant to us? When was the last time we got them a spontaneous gift, Cooked them a fancy dinner, surprised them at work by bringing a nice lunch, planned a fun getaway? It is easy to go through the motions but it takes time and effort to nurture and enrich our relationships with our family. If we set a good example for our children of what kind of people we are they can see the kind of people they could aspire to be. This way our sins won’t affect them as much and they can learn from our mistakes. Please take the time to constantly show your partner how much they mean to you, talk with your children about how they are doing and not just about the regular day to day routine things. By doing this we can avoid this line in our Torah portion about God remitting punishment on the third and fourth generations for the sins of their parents.
Wishing you all a healthy Shabbat, Cantor Kowitz
SERVICES
Friday, March 13 - Friday, March 20
Friday 8:00 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Saturday 9:00 AM Nosh and D'rash 9:45 AM Shabbat Service - Men's Club leads Services Aufruf - James Nachamkin & Melissa Tallis
Sunday
9:00 AM Minyan
Monday 6:30 AM Minyan
Thursday 8:00 AM Minyan 8:00 PM Minyan (requested by Sherry Skolnik)
Friday 6:30 PM Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Cantors Mitchell and Joshua Kowitz
Click on the links to view or register for any of these programs
Our Alix Rubinger Kosher Food Pantry needs increased membership contributions as well as ideas for other sources of income. We are now serving 15 to 20 families per week. While a lot of food is contributed to our pantry from supermarkets and other synagogues, it is still necessary to purchase needed food items.
Checks can be made out to the Alix Rubinger Kosher Food Pantry or made out to CBO with an indication that the funds go to the pantry account.
Please remember that this is OUR Pantry.
Thank you.
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Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism