Coping with Covid-19
DURING THE HIGH HOLY DAYS
[This section was created for the 5781/2020 High Holy Days, which were celebrated while in confinement. 5782/2021 should be a year when we can be in person. However, there are variants of the virus that are causing more people to be hospitalized and die. Many people may continue to choose to worship with us using online options. We will continue to offer a variety of worship, learning, and spiritual experiences, so that hopefully everyone will find something meaningful. This is what we said for 2020:]
This year will be a High Holy Day experience like nothing we have known before. Some things will be familiar, and some things will be re-imagined so that we can be inspired in new ways, and be able to commemorate the Holy Days during the pandemic.
The word "Shanah" ("year") in Hebrew can be related to the word for "change" in Hebrew. We pray each year that we learn how to change for the better. This year we pray for positive changes in the physical and spiritual health of the world.
At B'nai Zion the year 2020 was supposed to mark a celebration of being in buildings for 150 years. Since March we have not been gathering in our synagogue building - but have been using our homes as our sanctuaries. We have found ways to "virtually" share spiritual experiences and holy days.
We intended to have a year of using 2020 hindsight to be nostalgic about B'nai Zion's history, and the people who have made this congregation what it was and helped make it what it is. We intended to use 2020 vision to imagine what we could be like - but no one imagined this.
We are trying to do what we can to stay safe, but stay connected. We have had guest speakers at almost every service since March. The "Stay at Home" Shabbat services can be seen here. Let Rabbi Jana know if you want to participate in future services by using this form.
The High Holy Days services will try to use some of the 2020 vision by including elements from previous years, and some futuristic / forward thinking elements as well. For example, if you want to use a Machzor (High Holy Day prayer book) at home, contact B'nai Zion to borrow it, use online versions or buy them from the Reform Movement, or appreciate the futuristic way that Rabbi Jana and Max have incorporated onscreen all of the prayerbook words (in English, Hebrew and Transliteration) for the services.
The B'nai Zion services will be online as YouTube and/or Zoom experiences.
-- Read: How to Turn Your Home into a Sanctuary for the High Holy Days
(from the Reform Movement)
-- Read: High Holiday Zoom Services: How to Get the Most out of Them
(from MyJewishLearning)
Note: B'nai Zion will have YouTube services, and will also have some Zoom events during the High Holy Days. The High Holy Day Schedule for 5781 is HERE. Links will be added as they become available.