I write this after returning home from our most recent daily minyan. Although BDJ, in consultation with epidemiologists and healthcare experts, had already made the difficult decision to move all of our daily and Shabbat minyanim outdoors last week, the state and local guidance released Monday and Tuesday has made it likely that things will remain this way for longer than we had hoped.
In spite of all this, we remain steadfast in our commitment to our shul and community. Minyan continues each day; classes and other opportunities for spiritual growth and social enrichment continue over Zoom; and our spirits remain resolute.
We’ve commenced our planning for the yamim noraim in earnest over the past few weeks. Our chazanim and ba’alei kreiya are already practicing their parts. At the same time, our clergy, professional staff, and lay leadership are hard at work addressing the logistical and liturgical challenges we face in light of our displacement from our sanctuary and the need for virus-related safeguards.
Here’s how things look for now:
We’ll likely have 4-5 outdoor services, with most running concurrently, along with one early and one late tefila. We are working at identifying at least one location with a little more room (which can fit maybe 50-75 people at once within social distancing requirements) that can serve as a “main” minyan for those who prefer and feel comfortable with a larger gathering.
Our clergy are also working hard to prepare programming for before, during, and after the chagim, available over Zoom, so that those who are not yet ready or able to attend in-person services have other opportunities to participate and feel connected.
In all of this, our overriding mission is to include every member of our shul and community in the yamim noraim in a way that makes each feel safe and spiritually uplifted.
As I’ve mentioned before, all of this is a dynamic process. We are constantly seeking feedback from participants in BDJ’s davening and programming about how we can do things better. Likewise, we are in near daily contact with healthcare professionals and other experts as to how to conduct all of this as safely as possible. As the situation changes -- we pray for the better -- we will evolve as well. In the event that -- God forbid -- we are advised to scale back our in-person interaction -- we will do so.
There are two other significant items, both of which occurred over the last week, that I’d like to mention.
First, we had our annual event in which we thank and honor our trustees for their dedication over the past year. The event was over Zoom (of course) and it was beautiful. With the help of Adynna and Dan Messenger of Bibi’s, we not only shared a meal together, we actually prepared the meal together. We even drank wine together (which was not made in our homes). I want to, once again, thank all of the trustees for what they do for BDJ and our members. Your continued support allows us to accomplish so much.
Second, we’ve opened the online membership renewal system. Many of you have already renewed. If you haven’t yet, please do so soon.
For reasons that you know, we need everyone’s help this year more than ever. We also need to know how many people we need to plan for over the yamim noraim. Planning is going to be a challenge this year and the earlier we can identify everyone’s needs, the easier the process will go. There is a link at the bottom of this email to our membership renewal page. If you haven’t already, please renew your membership as soon as you can.
I’ll close with a brief idea that I read this week from Sivan Rahav-Meir on this week’s Torah reading, which I think relates a powerful message about the times we’re in today. The Torah lists 42 places where Bnei Yisrael camped during our 40 years in the desert. Some of the places have beautiful names such as Shefer (beauty) and Mitkah (sweetness) while others are named Haradah (fear) and Marah (bitterness). These are the names that Bnei Yisrael elected to call each of these locations based on what they experienced at each place. The Torah deems irrelevant and does not record the names of these places that preexisted Bnei Yisrael or that were given by others.
What does this teach us? That regardless of what’s going on around us, we have the power to be the authors of our own stories. We can choose to give the time or place we’re in a pleasant name or a bitter one. It’s all up to us and how we react to our experiences.
May we be blessed with the ability to see and appreciate the pleasantness wherever it can be found today.
