Rabbinical Council of Bergen County, New Jersey, Closes Synagogues Due to Coronavirus

by Benjamin Kerstein – The Algemeiner

The Rabbinical Council of Bergen County, New Jersey, is closing all synagogues, forbidding public celebrations, and recommending against home minyans, shiva visits and large gatherings for Shabbat meals.

The Council said in an open letter to the Jewish community that it had met with local government representatives and medical experts and the “message from the health care providers was clear. They need our help to slow the spread of the disease before their resources are overwhelmed.”

The letter contains 10 recommendations, including that all community members should work from home and due to school closures “there should not be playdates between children of different families.”

Most importantly, the Council said, “Shuls will be closed for all minyanim and shiurim effective Friday morning, March 13. There should be no house minyanim. All of the rabbis will be davening alone in their homes. Please daven at home, individually.”

It also recommended “no public celebrations for smachot. People should not have gatherings for Shabbat meals. Shiva visits should be replaced by phone/video calls. Levayot should be restricted to a small group of family members and a minyan.”

Mikvahs will remain open, but those under quarantine or showing “symptoms of illness” are forbidden to use them.