High Holy Day COVID Update
Dear Friends,
With the recent severe rise in Covid positive cases in New Haven County and the High Holy Days approaching we have been working hard to prepare for a joyous and safe service in our building. Since January of this year, our Board of Trustees, in consultation with our Reopening Task Force has monitored and carefully considered how we can best minimize risk of exposure and transmission to our congregants. While we had felt confident in resuming in person services in June, the Delta variant has forced us to re-examine our policies.
Guided by the Jewish values of pikuach nefesh to save a life, chesed, loving kindness, and kehillah, community, at this time we are continuing to plan for in-person services with the additional requirement that everyone who is eligible for a vaccine (those 12 and older) must show proof of full vaccination in order to attend in-person, indoor events, classes, and activities. We will also continue our policy that everyone must wear a mask at all times while in our building.
While we encourage all families with children under age 12 to attend our Family Service, which will be held outdoors weather permitting, any unvaccinated children in our building must be masked, accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult and, remain seated with their families in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
In order to verify your vaccination status and ensure a smooth entry, we encourage everyone to upload their vaccine cards to our secure membership database and let us know how many people in your family will be attending services. If we do not have a card on file you must show your actual COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or a picture of the card on your phone when you enter the building. Please note that we will be forced to turn away those who do not have proof of vaccination.
We will continue to offer a high-quality Zoom and Live-stream option for those who wish to join us remotely and will be using the same online prayerbook as last year with pages directly from our physical Machzor (High Holy Day Prayerbook). For all High Holy Day information visit our website.
Thank you for understanding that the situation is fluid, and that our highest priority is to provide safeworship options for our community. We will continue to monitor recommendations from the CDC and the Connecticut Department of Public Health guidlines.
On behalf of the professional team and the Board of Trustees, we wish you a Shanah tovah u’metukah, a sweet and happy new year.
B’vracha, in blessing,
Rabbi Brian P. Immmerman
Michael S. Dimenstein, President