covid19updates

Good Morning Young Israel Family,

Our Young Israel was founded to be, and has always been, a beit k'nesset - a place of gathering.  A place we physically share in order to create community.  This is our mandate.

One of the hardest parts of the current situation we all find ourselves in, with our commitment to #flatteningthecurve and ensuring positive public health, is that it limits our capacity to realize this fundamental mission. Yet, we remain committed to and undeterred from focusing, in these days, on continuing to create community in every other means possible - through email, on Zoom, in phone calls and well wishes. We'll get a skywriter if we have to!  

You, too, can be a part of helping us all realize this goal! Reach out to someone else -- call and check in on someone stuck at home or left without childcare or someone living alone. Help me and all of us continue to create the community we are so proud to be a part of! 

Have a wonderful day, filled with strength and good health, 

Sincerely,

Rabbi Tuvia Brander

Below this email includes various updates and resources for our community - please read it thoroughly and carefully and utilize it as appropriate.

(1) Daily Tefillah Zoom Continues
(2) Update: Community Leadership Meets and Community-Wide Responses Discussed
(3) Women's Tehillim Group -- Virtual Meeting Tonight
(4) Rabbi Brander's Pondering The Parasha Lunch'n'Learn Continues Weds.
(5) Resources For Parents and Children Stuck At Home From PJ Library
(6) Addressing Financial/Resource Needs
(7) Zoom Instructions and Assistance for those not yet connected
(8) Young Israel Zoom Information
(9) Young Israel COVID-19 Information Repository
 

(1) Daily Tefillah Zoom - Virtual Davening Together 
While we may not be able to formally constitute a minyan, we can still harness the power of prayer together by davening at the same time.

Tonight, we will be davening Mincha followed by Maariv at 6:45 PM. We will begin Mincha together followed by a chapter of Tehillim and short D'var Halakha from Rabbi Brander and concluding with Maariv. 

This morning, we will be davening Shacharit at 6:45 AM.
All the zoom link information can be found below (Here is direct computer link:  https://zoom.us/j/6850940946)

(2) Community Leadership & Community-Wide Response
Yesterday, Rabbi Brander and Les Loew participated in a ZOOM conference with  community leadership, Mayor Shari Cantor and Amiee Krauss from the Department of Public Health organized by the Jewish Federation. We continue to help lead the way as our community continues to plan for and respond to this developing situation. Rabbi Brander represented the entire rabbinic community and presented an update on what is happening in synagogues across the region, some of our Young Israel's pioneering ideas and some of the potential communal needs will be developing in the near future.
(picture below)

(3) Women's Tehillim Group -- Virtual Meeting Tonight
In response to the Cornovirus, we believe it is appropriate to attempt a first-ever Virtual Tehillim Meeting, tonight, Tuesday, March 17th at 7:30 PM. 
For those who have not been to a Tehillim Meeting, the 150 Tehillim chapters are normally divided up into 24 booklets that cover the 150 chapters. We (all those who are present) then read through the books (chapters) until we have finished it all. 
Please sign up at the link below to read a few chapters with us. Here is a LINK to sign up for a section. You can access all of Tehillim in Hebrew and English here: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.1?lang=bi or https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2601.htm

To join our Tehillim meeting via Zoom, you can either join online on your computer or smartphone by clicking here: https://zoom.us/j/6850940946 or you can connect easily by calling in simply by dialing our special conference call: 1 646 558 8656 and when asked key in our Meeting ID: 685 094 0946 followed by # and then another #.   If you need more help using Zoom, check out our tutorial at https://www.youngisraelwh.org/covid19 

To sign up for a perek/chapter click here. 

(4) Rabbi Brander's Parasha Lunch'n'Learn Continues Wednesday
Our weekly Parasha lunch'n'learn, Pondering the Parasha, continues tomorrow at 11:45 am on ZOOM. We have the privilege this week of exploring Parashat Vayakel & Pekudei. 
All the zoom link information can be found below (Here is direct computer link:  https://zoom.us/j/6850940946)

(5) Incredible Resources Available For Parents and Kids Stuck At Home From PJ Library
PJ Library has put together an incredible website of resources, activities, crafts, cooking and so much more for children of all ages. Check it out here: https://pjlibrary.org/familyactivities

(6) Addressing Financial/Resources Needs
As a community, we are here to help each other.  We recognize that the financial and resource tolls of this crisis will only grow.  We are preparing to support our community on many levels.  If you are in current need or expect to be in need, please contact Rabbi Brander or Les Loew so we can begin to assess need, prepare and provide immediate support.  If you'd like to offer support, please donate here.

(7) Zoom Instructions and Assistance for those not yet connected
Especially in these trying times, we want everyone to be able to connect together! If you are not sure how to use Zoom yet, here is a great tutorial: CLICK HERE. Also, we are happy to send someone to your home to set it up and make sure you have the ease of access you need to connect with the many different programs coming your way. Lastly, did you know that you don't even need a computer to use Zoom -- you can easily connect with a simple phone call -- just dial our special conference call: 1 646 558 8656 and when asked key in our Meeting ID: 685 094 0946 followed by # and then another #. 

(8) Young Israel Zoom Log On Information
Remember all Young Israel Zoom-based Meeting will have same log on information!! 
To join Zoom online on your computer or smartphone go to: https://zoom.us/j/6850940946 
You can also connect simply by calling in! Just dial our special conference call: 1 646 558 8656 and when asked key in our Meeting ID: 685 094 0946 followed by # and then another #. 

(9) Young Israel COVID-19 Information Repository
All the emails that we are sending about Covid-19 are posted to our website at www.youngisraelwh.org/covid19