UPDATE #9 - 6/10/2021
We are heartened by the progress of the COVID-19 vaccines and are grateful for the science demonstrating the benefits of vaccination. As the guidance has continued to evolve, we have thoughtfully piloted small in-person gatherings, including morning minyan and Friday night worship, with the health and safety of the membership, clergy, and staff our paramount concern. We are pleased to share that as we plan for the summer and fall, we have updated our in-person gathering policies per the latest CDC and New York State guidelines and the recommendations of the PAS COVID Advisory Group. Read on for a brief review of these policies as well as more detailed information.
IN BRIEF
- Beginning July 6, all members, guests, and staff entering PAS facilities who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine must be fully vaccinated.
- PAS will no longer require distancing for vaccinated individuals at worship services. In addition, vaccinated individuals do not need to wear masks while at their seats in the worship spaces.
- PAS will begin holding in-person Shabbat morning services in the Sanctuary this Saturday, June 12.
- We will be in touch soon about the plans for our robust in-person and remote High Holiday options. Please look out for these communications.
IN DETAIL
Vaccination
- With the strong recommendation and support of the PAS COVID Advisory Group and Board of Trustees Executive Committee, PAS will be a fully vaccinated environment in order to ensure the safest possible community and staff gatherings. This means that everyone who is eligible for the vaccine must be vaccinated. We did not make this decision lightly, and we are guided be the Talmudic principle of pikuah nefesh, the preservation of life, and our civic duty to promote vaccination.
- As such, beginning on July 6, Park Avenue Synagogue will require that all members, visitors, and staff be fully vaccinated to enter our facilities. Children under 12 years old may present a negative COVID-19 test to enter the buildings. If you are medically ineligible for the vaccine, please contact Liz Offenbach to make alternative arrangements.
- PAS has already begun implementing these requirements for weekly worship. All members eligible for the vaccine must show proof of vaccination when entering the building for morning minyan and Shabbat services. Children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine may present the negative results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours or antigen test taken within 6 hours of the service using Excelsior Pass or by showing lab results. See below regarding Bnei Mitzvah families.
Weekly Worship
- We have increased the capacity for all worship services at the synagogue, including Wednesday minyan and Friday night services. Each service will include a seating section without distancing for those who are fully vaccinated. In addition, we will continue to make limited distanced seating available for those who are not eligible for the vaccine and those who would prefer to continue distancing.
- Masks will continue to be required when entering, exiting, and moving about PAS facilities. Those who are fully vaccinated may remove their masks once they are at their seats and will need to put their masks back on when leaving their seats. Those who are not fully vaccinated and seated in the distanced section must continue to wear masks throughout the service.
- We are thrilled to resume in-person Saturday morning Shabbat services in the Sanctuary beginning this Saturday, June 12. As with all worship, we continue to require preregistration and will limit capacity (albeit at an increased capacity).
- As capacity is still limited, services are open only to members of PAS at this time.
- We have increased capacity for Bnei Mitzvah services. All members and guests of the Bnei Mitzvah must continue to wear masks at all times.
High Holidays
- We are busy planning for High Holiday services and expect to be able to offer robust in-person services and excellent virtual offerings. Watch for emails about the High Holidays in which we will share our plans. Our efforts to provide in-person services in a manner consistent with CDC and NYS guidelines will require everyone’s cooperation. Members will be required to register for in-person worship, and we will ask that you communicate your plans with us. More information to come soon!
We realize that not everyone is able or ready to gather in person, so rest assured that we will continue to offer high quality virtual and remote programming and worship opportunities for the community in the summer and fall.
Thank you to the clergy, staff, and COVID Advisory Group who have dedicated their time and efforts to plan for the resumption of in-person worship and programming. And thank you especially to you, our dedicated members, for your continued engagement and participation throughout these challenging months. The strength and connection of our membership has been our bedrock.
UPDATE #8 - 12/14/2020
As we near the end of 2020, all of us at Park Avenue Synagogue are exceptionally grateful for your flexibility during this unpredictable year. Together we have reimagined what it means to be present and have found that the holy work of PAS can be anywhere and everywhere. Thank you.
The central concern of Park Avenue Synagogue remains the health and safety of our members, clergy, and staff. With the support and guidance of the COVID Advisory Group and Back to Campus Task Force, PAS will continue as a primarily remote campus through at least the end of March 2021, with the exception of the already successfully reopened Penn Family ECC, Shalom Shtayim, and Food Pantry. We will continue to welcome Bnei Mitzvah families in person to celebrate this milestone simcha at PAS, and we are in the early stages of planning for in-person Camp Keshet.
Communal worship, Adult Education and Synagogue Programming, Youth and Teen Programming, Congregational School, and other Young Family Education opportunities will remain remote through March 31. During this period, we do hope to pilot small in-person experiences should positivity rates return to safer levels.
We, of course, remain aware of all government guidelines and regularly review our own policies to ensure proper adherence. Should you have specific questions about PAS’s COVID procedures, please do not hesitate to be in touch with Liz Offenbach.
This winter, we look forward to reinforcing our commitment to being a Beit Tefillah (a house of prayer), a Beit Midrash (a house of learning), and a Beit Knesset (a house of community). We hope to see you the rest of this week for Zoom Hanukkah minyan and candle lighting and will conclude Hanukkah with a concert celebrating the release of Cantor Brook’s new album, L’Chayim Ul’Shalom.
For now, we wish you a Hanukkah and a 2021 filled with light! Hag urim sameach!
UPDATE #7 - 7/15/2020
Last month, we began to share our plans for the reopening of our physical campus. With the support of the Back-to-Campus Taskforce, the High Holiday Planning Committee, and our COVID-19 Advisory Team, we are taking a thoughtful, deliberate, and multi-tiered approach to resuming in-person gatherings, including those in our offices, schools, event spaces, and Sanctuary.
As we cautiously prepare for return, we recognize that we will need to continuously monitor and adjust our plan according to government guidelines and expert advice. We will always hold ourselves to the highest bars of safety. Our plans take into consideration all our demographics and their needs for interaction and safety. We are paying special attention to our youngest members – those who receive extra benefit from in-person learning – as well as to our members who might be especially susceptible to COVID-19.
We, as ever, emphasize our commitment to being a Beit Tefillah (a house of prayer), a Beit Midrash (a house of learning), and a Beit Knesset (a house of community), no matter where we are physically located.
Below, you can read about how we expect PAS to evolve over the next few months.
BEIT TEFILLAH, HOUSE OF PRAYER
High Holiday Worship
As mentioned at the Annual Meeting, our ongoing commitment to prioritize pikuah nefesh (the preservation of life) means that our High Holiday services will be largely remote this year. Despite our physical distance, we will provide the PAS community a worship experience like no other. With services and innovative programming for all ages, members will have the opportunity for a customized and interactive holiday experience.
In late August, we will bring in the month of Elul with learning, resources, community-building, and opportunities to perform mitzvot to ready our hearts, minds, and souls for the upcoming Days of Awe. Our soon-to-be-launched High Holiday Hub website will feature everything you need to prepare for and celebrate the High Holidays.
We plan to be in touch by post before the holidays. You will receive an email on Friday from PAS asking you for your preferred delivery address the week of Rosh Hashanah. Please respond so that the package will reach you in a timely manner.
Daily Minyan
Online minyan attendance continues to be strong, and we are enjoying the switch to allow folks to interact on Zoom. We are beginning to explore initial plans for morning and evening minyans to meet in person at some point in the fall. However, you will continue to have the ability to participate remotely even when we begin to gather in person.
Shabbat Worship
Shabbat services will continue to take place remotely with the possibility of allowing a limited number of members and guests to join in-person in the fall. As with minyans, we will continue to offer all Shabbat worship services via Livestream.
BEIT MIDRASH, HOUSE OF LEARNING
Penn Family Early Childhood Center
We believe the Penn Family ECC is most effective when we teach the children in-person daily. With that in mind, we hope to welcome the children in-person on September 9, the first day of school. However, the Penn Family ECC has prudently developed three plans: fully in-person, a hybrid of in-person and remote learning, or fully virtual. The school will move forward with whatever is recommended by state and national governments, as well as the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Pamela Schwartz, Director of the Penn Family ECC, will continue to be in regular contact with learners’ families to keep them up to date. No matter how our students are welcomed on September 9, it will be with the warmth and care that defines the spirit of the Penn Family ECC and its educators.
Young Family Education
Shalom Shtayim, our twos program, is preparing for in-person meetings beginning on September 14. All other classes, Shabbat services, and holiday programs will remain remote. Since moving to our virtual campus, YFE has consistently offered multiple ways for children to engage in Judaism and connect with the PAS community each week.
Congregational School
The Congregational School is in the final stages of making plans for the fall and exploring best practices for supplemental Jewish education. As we determine the best path forward, we are considering the plans of ongoing schools, both public and private. Look out for more information soon. If you have yet to register your child for the 2020–2021 school year, please complete the registration form.
Youth and Teen Programming
Youth and teen programs and classes will continue to take place online through January 2021. The youth and teen populations enjoy the online format and have had many unique opportunities to engage with speakers, educators, and even the owner of the Boston Celtics! We hope to reopen the Teen Food Pantry after the High Holidays.
Adult Education
In mid-March, Adult Education transitioned its full offering of classes and events to a virtual platform, creating a continuum of learning and bringing new content to both members and non-members who are tuning in from around the world. As we plan for the fall, many of our learners have expressed that they are not yet comfortable being in a classroom or auditorium environment and that the classes and programs are a deep source of connection and community for them as they remain at home. Adult Education will continue to offer virtual programs and classes through the end of 2020.
BEIT KNESSET, HOUSE OF COMMUNITY
Reopening the Physical Campus
In order to offer the limited in-person opportunities mentioned above, we are spending the summer preparing the physical campus for the return of PAS staff and members. We have made short-term adaptations to our spaces to allow for appropriate physical distancing among congregants and co-workers. Signage will be placed throughout the buildings to remind staff and members to wear masks, remain distanced, and maintain proper hygiene. We have also reassessed the occupancy of each of our spaces, including restrooms and elevators.
The Facilities team has put new cleaning and sanitizing procedures in place to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, and we have placed sanitizing stations throughout the building. Upon entering the building, staff, members, and visitors and staff will be required to complete a health screening and sanitize their hands.
Staff Return
In early August, employees will have the option to return to our physical space on alternating schedules. We will use that month to assess and modify new policies, cleaning protocols, and screening procedures. Additional staff will return in late August and early September in support of programs and schools taking place in the building. Rest assured, all staff will continue to remain fully available by phone, video call, and email.
We will continue to communicate throughout the summer as we have more details on our planning and programming. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Beryl Chernov or Liz Offenbach. In the interim, we hope that you will continue to join us for Kehillah Ba-Kayitz, the Summer Virtual Village.
We know that this pandemic has affected all of us in different ways. As a synagogue, we remain true to our core value of being a kehillah kedoshah – a sacred community.
UPDATE #6 - 6/17/2020
Park Avenue Synagogue is committed to being a Beit Tefillah (a house of prayer), a Beit Midrash (a house of learning), and a Beit Knesset (a house of community). No matter how we pray, learn, or gather, we know we are lucky to be doing so alongside one another. As we begin to imagine what life at PAS will look like over the next few months, our primary goal is to remain true to our mission – to inspire, educate, and support our membership in living passion-filled Jewish lives.
To plan for the reopening of our physical campus, we formed a Back-to-Campus Task Force made up of staff and lay leadership. Additionally, a High Holiday Planning Committee has been meeting regularly to ensure a safe and meaningful High Holiday experience that combines the best virtual experience with in-person elements that are both responsible and allowable at the time. Both groups are seeking the advice of our COVID-19 Advisory Team, comprised of members who are industry leaders in their respective fields.
Together, we are working to prioritize and plan for multiple scenarios focused on the reopening of our physical campus, including but not limited to schools, services, classes, community celebrations, and staff return. Current areas of attention:
- Potential short-term physical adaptations to our spaces to allow for appropriate social distancing among congregants and co-workers.
- A cleaning and sanitation schedule that will protect the health and safety of all our visitors.
- The continuous prioritization of our ongoing and upcoming programming to determine what makes the most sense for our community.
We are closely monitoring evolving government guidelines and consulting with peer organizations. While it’s too early to make promises or share the various alternatives for each aspect of synagogue life, we can say with confidence that even the best-case scenarios foresee a fall that will require new community-wide protocols and practices. We thank you in advance for your patience, flexibility, and understanding as we cautiously and carefully plan.
We will be communicating with you periodically throughout the summer as our plans progress, and we hope to hear from you should you have any questions or concerns. We hope that you have been and will continue to be joining us at our Virtual Campus, particularly by taking part this summer in our Kehillah Ba-Kayitz (our Summer Virtual Village), featuring Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Reverend A.R. Bernard, Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, and many others.
For those families who have a child participating in a Park Avenue Synagogue program for the 2020–2021 school year, Rabbi Savenor will send a message in the next week with information about how our Return to Campus plan relates to our students.
UPDATE #5 - 3/18/2020
Dear Park Avenue Synagogue Community,
These last few weeks have been rapidly changing, and we appreciate the way everyone in our community has supported each other and worked with us during this unprecedented time. As you know, we suspended in-person gatherings last week to protect the community in hopes to slow the spread of this illness.
We have just learned that an individual in our community has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Thankfully, they had a mild case with few symptoms and are already feeling better. While we know everyone wants to share their care and concern, privacy requirements limit us from sharing personal information about this individual, or inevitably, the additional members of our community who may test positive in the future. Our clergy is in touch with the individual.
This individual was at Park Avenue Synagogue on the evenings of March 6 for Kabbalat Shabbat and March 9 for the Purim Spiel. At the recommendation of the New York City Department of Health, anyone who attended either of these events should self-monitor for symptoms – i.e., watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath – for 14 days since those dates (or through March 20 and 23, respectively). Should you develop symptoms, please self isolate and contact your health professional. This individual was also in the building for a small group meeting on March 11, and individuals in that meeting have been contacted separately about suggested precautionary steps they should take.
Given the reported rapid spread of the virus, we have been proactively planning for such an occurrence to the best of our ability. We were already following New York City Department of Health cleaning protocols and previously moved our schools, classes and services online. Most of our staff has been working from home, our clergy have been rotating, and we have kept the Eli M. Black Lifelong Learning Center closed and cleaned.
We will continue to offer Livestream for morning and evening minyan, Kabbalat Shabbat, and Shabbat morning services. Attendance at Shabbat services is limited to clergy and the immediate family of the Bnei Mitzvah. Additionally, in accordance with New York City guidelines, our schools and classes will continue to offer virtual programming to all ages and stages of our learners through April 20.
We cannot stress enough the importance of protecting yourself from the virus and helping to “flatten the curve:”
- Personal health and hygiene (washing hands, using hand sanitizer, not touching your face, covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue and not your hand, staying home even if you feel the slightest bit sick).
- Social distancing, creating space between you and others in the community.
- Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's strong recommendation is that adults over age 60 and people who have serious chronic medical conditions (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, any respiratory issues or weakened immune system) be exceptionally careful.
It is important that we attempt to mitigate community spread and support our community during this time. If you develop symptoms, are on mandatory quarantine, have traveled recently to an area of concern, and/or been diagnosed with COVID-19, please reach out to our Executive Director, Beryl Chernov at bchernov@pasyn.org or 212-369-2600, and he will put you in touch with the right resource.
Regular email updates have and will continue to go out with opportunities to connect virtually through learning and prayer. Our website is also being kept updated on these opportunities.
Again, we wish this individual and all affected a speedy recovery and look forward to returning to a sense of normalcy soon.
B’shalom,
Rabbi Cosgrove
Beryl Chernov
Executive Director
UPDATE #4 - 3/13/2020
Dear Park Avenue Synagogue,
To be a Jew is to know that neither community nor sanctity is contingent on physical space.
The Children of Israel had to maintain community even as they journeyed away from the base of Mount Sinai. Rabbinic Judaism as we know it was founded in response to the loss of our physical temple in Jerusalem. Even Adam and Eve had to find faith beyond the boundaries of the Garden of Eden. Our spiritual palaces, as Rabbi Heschel taught, have been found not in space, but in time and acts of kindness.
For the coming weeks, our community will be called on to draw upon this founding strength of our people as we continue to respond to the developing public health crisis. Even as we show leadership in mitigating the spread of the coronavirus, we also seek to maintain the essential services that are the strength of our synagogue – always – and especially in times of uncertainty. As noted in our most recent update, PAS will continue to serve as a house of learning and house of community – by way of our virtual classes and ongoing pastoral care. This email is to serve as an update regarding PAS as a house of prayer in the coming weeks.
- Shabbat Services
- Guided by U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations to faith-based institutions encouraging all faiths to limit the size of physical gatherings, and with yesterday's announcement from New York State restricting large public assemblies, Shabbat services thru March 29 (3/13–14, 3/20–21, 3/27–28) will be conducted via Livestream. Physical attendance will be limited to PAS clergy and members of the Bnei Mitzvah extended family.
- Please join Cantor Brook and Rabbi Witkovsky for a virtual Havdalah on Saturday at 6:45 pm. Details will be posted on our website before Shabbat.
- Daily Minyan
- Morning and evening minyan thru March 29th will be conducted via Livestream.
- As per the ruling of the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS), those who wish to be part of a minyan, to recite prayers requiring a minyan, including mourner’s kaddish, may connect virtually with a minyan by way of livestream to recite kaddish, kedushah, barkhu, etc, and hear Torah reading along with that minyan.
- We ask our minyan regulars to stop by the synagogue before 5:00 pm today (Friday, March 13) to pick up your tallit and tefillin, and a Siddur Sim Shalom (if you do not have your own) for home usage. Our first livestream minyan will be Sunday, March 15 at 9:00 am.
- If there is a loved one whom you would like to be remembered or included in a prayer for healing, please email the name, prayer (memorial or healing), and date of service to our Ritual Coordinator, Allen Paisner, so mention of that person can be made during the appropriate Shabbat services or daily minyan.
- Please check our website calendar for daily minyan times.
- How to Livestream
- It’s easy! Just click here or go to our website and click Livestream on the upper right hand side of the screen. You do not need a password or a special app. Clicking the link takes you right to the service. Additionally, our Livestream is available on Facebook and YouTube.
We will continue to keep you updated and hope to return to a sense of normalcy soon. For an update on all of our online classes, please continue to check our website. Melton and other adult learning classes have already transitioned to Zoom, and the ECC got a virtual greeting from Music Educator Josh Rosenberg yesterday.
As a reminder, we are here to support and comfort our community as we navigate this situation. For all pastoral matters, please contact me, and if you need a helping hand from our Bikur Cholim (caring for the sick) Committee, please reach out to Rabbi Zuckerman.
If you are on self-isolation, mandatory quarantine, have traveled recently to an area of concern and/or been diagnosed with COVID-19, please reach out to our Executive Director Beryl Chernov at bchernov@pasyn.org or 212-369-2600, and he will put you in touch with the right resources within our community. If you are experiencing symptoms (coughing, fever, trouble breathing) or for additional information, please contact your healthcare provider or visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and New York State Department of Health websites.
This week’s Torah reading describes the challenge facing the Children of Israel as they journeyed forth from Mount Sinai. The rabbis teach that the ark of the covenant contained both the shards of the broken tablets together with restored whole tablets - an instructive image for us today. We are well aware of the fragile, sharp and, yes, shattered world in which we live. Our lives are changed and our world in need of healing. Our forward momentum is guided by the promise of wholeness – if not today, then please God soon. May this be our prayer for shabbat – a shabbat of shalom – of peace and wholeness.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Cosgrove
UPDATE #3 - 3/11/2020
Dear PAS Community,
As we try to balance our daily lives and obligations with the reality of an uncertain environment, the safety and well-being of our community remain at the core of our synagogue mission. It is our focus to continue to be a Beit Knesset (House of Gathering), Beit Midrash (House of Learning) and a Beit Tefillah (House of Prayer) for our community during these unprecedented times, whether in person or virtually.
Our leadership team has been meeting regularly to make prudent adjustments to our program and protocols based on current information as the situation unfolds. We are guided by the recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and New York State Department of Health. In an abundance of caution and in an effort to preserve our ability to gather for our most sacred spiritual services, we believe it is important to mitigate the opportunities for potential exposure at other communal activities. As many of our members have been given the option to work from home by their employers, we also want to give that same opportunity to our dedicated staff. Additionally, some of the children in our community are heading into their secular school spring break over the next two weeks.
Therefore, starting tomorrow, March 12 through March 29 (and we will continue to reassess as the situation evolves), we are closing our physical campus for all but daily minyan, Bnei Mitzvah rehearsals and Shabbat services and are asking that all other synagogue matters be done remotely. Our staff has been preparing and training for online offerings (Livestream, Zoom, FaceTime, etc.) for the past week and will continue to do so the next few days. Now is a great time to check out our new website and explore our digital campus.
Beit Midrash (Education)
- Penn Family Early Childhood Center – Today will be our last day of formal classes in the building. Beginning Monday, March 16, the Penn Family ECC will offer age appropriate daily virtual programming. You will be hearing directly from Pamela Schwartz on these details.
- Young Family Education – Today will be our last day of formal classes in the building. Beginning Monday, March 16, YFE will offer age appropriate online classes and programming. You will be hearing directly from Jamie Diamond on these details as well as other modifications to YFE programs.
- Congregational School – We will begin our Spring Break a few days early and today will be our last day of formal classes on our campus. Beginning Monday, March 23, the Congregational School team will be offering remote learning for each age cohort. You will be hearing directly from Jennifer Stern Granowitz on these details.
- Bnei Mitzvah Tutoring – Beginning Thursday, March 12, all tutors, rabbis, and cantors will engage in family meetings and tutoring via FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom. Rhonda Sexer-Levy will be in touch with exact details by the end of this week if you are in the midst of Bnei Mitzvah tutoring.
- Youth and Teens – Niki Fleishman will be reaching out with how they will be turning some of their upcoming programs into e-learning and engagement opportunities. Starting today through March 29, the Food Pantry is closed.
- Adult Education – Beginning Wednesday, March 11, all classes will be offered via Zoom. Mara Bernstein or your instructor will make sure you get the appropriate Zoom link in advance of your class time.
- Study Circles – Please contact Rabbi Witkovsky to transition your Study Circle to an online Zoom gathering during this time.
Beit Knesset (Communal Gathering)
- Pastoral Care – As always, if you or a loved one are in need of pastoral care because of a birth, illness, or loss, please email Rabbi Cosgrove or call him at 212-369-2600 x120.
- Caring Network – As always, if you need help during this time, whether that be picking up medication at the pharmacy or delivering groceries, please reach out to Rabbi Zuckerman or call him at 212-369-2600 x124 so that he can coordinate with our Bikkur Cholim (caring for the sick) Committee. We will be reaching out to members of the community to assist with these Tikkun Olam mitzvot as needed.
- Kiddush – We are working with our caterer to provide self-contained “kiddush-to-go packages” and will be transitioning any other food service to individually packaged and/or professionally served items.
- Committee and Arm Meetings – Beginning Thursday, March 12, all essential Committee and Arm meetings should be done via Zoom or conference call. Please coordinate with your staff or officer liaison.
- Cleaning – Our maintenance team continues to follow our enhanced cleaning protocols. Please help us support their efforts by washing your hands upon entering the building and staying home if you feel even the slightest bit sick.
Beit Tefillah (Worship)
- Daily Minyan – Morning and Evening Minyan are being held in the 3rd Floor Chapel at 87th Street and will be available via Livestream.
- Shabbat Services
- As of now, Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat Morning services will continue as planned in the 87th Street Sanctuary. At least until March 29, Hashkama, Havurah, and early Shachrit services are cancelled. Our clergy will be in touch with all near-term Bnei Mitzvah, aufruf and baby naming families personally to answer any questions or handle concerns.
- For those who attended synagogue last week, you experienced “elbow bump” Shabbat Shaloms, the availability of hand sanitizer, a shortened Torah procession and new aliyah protocols of not kissing the prayer books or the Torah. These protocols will continue in addition to others as advised.
- Livestream – Important Note for all Services
- The CDC recommendation is that older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions avoid crowds. Similarly, the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) has advised members whose health may be at risk, or whose presence may be a risk to others, to stay home and make use of connecting virtually (through audio or video). For this reason, we strongly encourage PAS members in these categories and anyone else uncomfortable in a public setting at this time use our Livestream for both daily minyan and Shabbat services.
- As per the ruling of the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS), those who wish to be part of a minyan, to recite prayers requiring a minyan, including mourner’s kaddish, may connect virtually with a minyan by way of livestream to recite kaddish, kedushah, barkhu, etc, and hear Torah reading along with that minyan.
As a synagogue, we are here to support and comfort our community as we navigate this situation together. It is important that you please let us know if you are on self isolation, mandatory quarantine, have traveled recently to an area of concern and/or been diagnosed with COVID-19. Please reach out to me at bchernov@pasyn.org or 212-369-2600, and I will make sure to put you in touch with the right resources within our community. If you are experiencing symptoms (coughing, fever, trouble breathing) or for additional information, please contact your healthcare provider or visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and New York State Department of Health websites.
Please continue to check our website for more updates.
As this is an evolving situation, we will continue to monitor and will update you if/when we need to make additional changes. Our apologies for the disruption this decision will cause, but as Rabbi Cosgrove reminded us this past shabbat, even in these times of uncertainty, we can all lean in, responding with wisdom and quiet courage, transforming anxiety into confidence, trying our very best to shape the world around us.
B’shalom,
Beryl Chernov
Executive Director
UPDATE #2 - 3/6/2020
Dear PAS Community,
We continue to closely monitor the evolving coronavirus situation. As we prepare for Shabbat and Purim, we want to inform you of a few additional updates since our last message:
- At this time, Shabbat and Congregational School services and programming will continue as scheduled. While handwashing is still the best form of prevention, we also have hand sanitizer positioned around the Lobby and Sanctuary. There will be bakery papers to help eliminate germs at Kiddush.
- For upcoming holiday of Purim, please note the following schedule:
- SUN / MAR 8
- Morning Minyan / 9:00 am / PAS@87th (Note new location)
- Purim Service for Families with Young Children / 11:00 am / PAS@87th
- The Purim Carnival and Quiet Purim Carnival are cancelled.
- Evening Minyan / 5:45 pm / PAS@87th (Note new location)
- MON / MAR 9
- TUE / MAR 10
- Morning Minyan with Megillah Reading / 7:00 am / PAS@87th
- Elbow bumps, thumbs up, friendly waves and smiles are encouraged for both Shabbat Shalom and Hag Purim Sameah wishes.
- Please stay home if you are feeling even the slightest bit sick. Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat Morning services as well as the Purim Spiel and Megillah Reading will be available via livestream.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at bchernov@pasyn.org and 212-369-2600.
We pray for a refuah shlemah (a full and speedy recovery) to all those affected by the virus in New York and around the world.
We look forward to celebrating Shabbat and Purim as a community in whatever manner you feel appropriate.
Shabbat Shalom and Hag Purim Sameah,
Beryl Chernov
Executive Director
UPDATE #1 - 3/4/2020
Dear PAS Community,
As our nation and the local Jewish community adjust to the uncertainties of the coronavirus known as COVID-19, we want to update you on the approach Park Avenue Synagogue is currently taking to help ensure the health and well-being of our community.
We are adding extra cleaning protocols to our daily procedures, including multiple cleanings daily of all public areas. We are extremely grateful to the maintenance team for their extraordinary input and attention to these procedures. Please help us support their efforts by washing your hands frequently, using utensils at kiddush, finding creative ways to greet each other, and staying home if you feel sick.
Some of you have asked about any overlap between people who work at PAS and institutions where people have been diagnosed with coronavirus. The few staff members who have such connections have not been in direct contact with anyone known to have the virus, yet as an extra preventative measure, they will be working from home for the appropriate time period based on the facts and circumstances. We ask going forward that all in our community use a similar abundance of caution.
People who have traveled to areas of concern, (currently China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan and Hong Kong), have been in contact with someone who has traveled to these areas, or who have had direct contact with persons diagnosed with COVID-19 should follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which dictate ensuring 14 days of no symptoms from the time of the contact. Symptoms may include respiratory issues such as
coughing, fever, trouble breathing, and/or pneumonia. For additional information, please contact your healthcare provider or visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York Department of Health websites.
As always, we remain committed to being a kehillah kedoshah, a sacred community, during this period of uncertainty. Our Shabbat services are livestreamed for anyone who wants to participate in the experience from home. And please, if you have any questions, concerns or need support during this time, please contact me at bchernov@pasyn.org or 212-369-2600.
Sincerely,
Beryl Chernov
Executive Director