COVID-19 Update for the Crown Heights #30 – Shavuos

We would like to reiterate the call for caution when resocializing, as discussed in greater length in the previous update, in particular as it relates to higher risk individuals. We hope that the reassuring COVID trends in our community continue, but we must be exceedingly vigilant to ensure that we are not seeing new cases. To that end, we cannot stress enough the need for anyone with new COVID-like symptoms to fill out the following: New COVID Registry.

Shavuos:

In line with the recent developments allowing indoor davening with up to ten people, we have recently released guidelines how to maximize safety for those shuls who wish to have indoor davening/kriah.

We would like to emphasize that overall, outdoor minyanim are preferable from a safety point of view. In particular, porch minyanim are ideal in this respect, due to the inherent built in distancing. Non-porch outdoor minyanim are also preferable to indoor davening, provided that safety guidelines are followed, including proper social distancing and masks. For those who have been davening in an outdoor minyan and are now transitioning to an indoor minyan, please be aware that there may be older or at-risk members of Anash who cannot attend an indoor minyan and have been relying on their nearby outdoor minyan.

In line with our Rebbe’s request that ALL should hear the “Aseres Hadibros” safely, responsible individuals are coordinating outdoor kriahs, in accordance with guidelines to assure the safety of all community members young and old. We want to stress that in order to ensure everyone’s well being, strict social distancing along with mask use, must be practiced, with special attention given to those who may be outside for the first time in months, and unused to the rules.

Many questions have come up in recent days about those from other communities who wish to visit Crown Heights for the upcoming Yom Tov. As uplifting as such visits are for the orchim, and as much as we as a community are known for our hachnosas orchim, we have to strongly discourage such visits to Crown Heights for Yom Tov and the foreseeable future, for the safety of our older and at risk population.

For anyone who will be voting in the upcoming June 23 elections, please be aware, as a matter of public safety, that you do not need to go in person – you can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail (https://nycabsentee.com/; check off “temporary illness” as your reason for voting by mail). Those individuals who wish to vote, especially if they have not been sick yet and are older, are strongly urged to make use of this mail-in option.

For any COVID related questions, please continue to email chcovid@gmail.com.

To all those who have not yet filled out the general community survey, please do so here, regardless of whether or not you’ve been sick: COVID/Antibody Survey

With best wishes for a safe and healthy Shavuos,

– The Gedaliah Society, in conjunction with Dr. Rosen