22 | SEPTEMBER 17 • 2020 

Rosh Hashanah 5781

Safe Worship
Surgeon General advises 
shuls during COVID.

I

n a Zoom meeting on 
Sept. 1, U.S. Surgeon Gen. 
Jerome Adams spoke with 
the rabbis and lay leaders of 
the Orthodox Union about 
safe worship during the High 
Holidays. 
Adams said that faith leaders 
play an important role in deal-
ing with epidemics. “Health 
professionals need the support 
of faith leaders to get their 
messages to be taken seriously 
by the general community,
” he 
said. “
And health professionals 
need to listen to the concerns 
of the community as expressed 
by faith leaders.
”
Adams told those on the call 
that the coronavirus pandem-
ic seems to be abating in the 
United States, with the rate of 
new cases and of deaths declin-
ing nationwide. There are still 
hot spots, he cautioned, and the 
potential for outbreaks is real. 
According to Adams, by 
coughing, talking, singing and 
shouting we send little droplets 
into the air that could transmit 
the virus. The closer an indi-
vidual is or the longer he or she 
is exposed exacerbates the risk. 
“Barriers, ventilation, distanc-
ing, all help to lessen the risk,
” 
Adams said. 
Having services outdoors 
with social distancing and con-
gregants wearing masks, as well 
as having shorter services can 
help mitigate the risk, he said. 
He added that everyone 
should consider their age and 
personal health circumstance, 
as well as how at-risk the local 
neighborhood is, such as recent 
outbreaks. He said congrega-

tions should not be lulled into a 
“one-size-fits all” mentality. 
“Know the congregation,
” he 
said. “Does it skew older? Find 
ways to do precious outreach to 
people who might suffer from 
social isolation.
” 
Adams also recommended 
having signs in the congrega-
tion advertising contact trac-
ing, marking pathways for foot 
traffic and having people bring 
their own prayer books. “The 
fewer people who handle each 
item the better,
” he said. 
Other recommendations 
included keeping distance 
between the audience and the 
person blowing the shofar 
and a plexiglass shield for the 
Kohanim. Chanting or singing 
should be kept to a minimum 
and masks should be worn 
while singing. 
“It is a sacrifice, not what 
we are used to, but it is only 
temporary,
” said Rabbi Moshe 
Hauer, executive vice president 
of the Orthodox Union. “We 
can get through this. Jewish 
people, more than perhaps 
any other people, know that 
sometimes you have to forgo 
pleasure or endure hardship 
for a time in order to achieve 
larger goals.
”
Adams ended the presen-
tation by reminding listeners 
to continue following safety 
precautions and to “rely on sci-
ence, not on misinformation” 
as well as get their flu vaccines. 
“We certainly do not want 
to be dealing with outbreaks of 
the flu during the coronavirus 
pandemic,
” Adams said. “This 
too shall pass.
” 

LOUIS FINKELMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

WIKIPEDIA

U.S. Surgeon Gen. 
Jerome Adams

May the coming year be filled with 
health and happiness and pr
 osperity 
for
 all our Family and Friends.

Happy New Year

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Rosh Hashanah
2020/5781

In these trying times, we wish 
our family and friends a new 
year of good health and good 
fortune — and lots of nachas.
L’
Shanah Tovah Tikatevu!
— Beth & Robert Sklar —

