We continue to seek the best ways to communicate and connect with you, our beloved Young Israel family -- to ensure we can provide all the important communal, spiritual and pre-Pesach information while not bombarding our inboxes with a ceaseless amount of emails!
We are striving to share these updates several mornings a week to share all the important and exciting happenings going on. PLEASE HELP US OUT by dedicating a few moments to reading (or even skimming) each of our "Young Israel Update" emails!
Together -- we can be here for each other -- and get through this!
(1) Join our Virtual Good Shabbos
(2) Today's Minyanim & Shiurim Schedule
(3) Pesach Prep Resources, Sessions and Guides
(4) Get Ready for the 4th Laufer Sefira Challenge
(5) COVID-19 Joint Statement About Pesach (6) IMPORTANT HALAKHIC MIKVEH UPDATE
(7) Let's Still Shabbat Together!! Pre Shabbat & Post Shabbat Programs!
(8) Addressing Financial/Resource Needs -- LET US KNOW!
(9) Zoom Info and Instructions/Assistance for those not yet connected
(10) Young Israel COVID-19 Information Repository
Send a Virtual Shabbat Shalom!
Join our Virtual Shabbat Shalom greetings on Friday to our shul. We may not see each other at Kiddush but we can still wish everyone a Shabbat Shalom! Send a 5-7 second video greeting from your family by 5 PM Thursday of each week to Morgan (our new admin) at admin@youngisraelwh.org. We will send out YIWH Virtual Shabbat Shalom to the shul on Friday afternoon!! Yes, even to you Gerry Goldberg!
Today's Schedule of Virtual Minyanim and Shiurim/Classes
All classes can be accessed via Zoom here or by phone at (646) 558-8656 and Meeting ID: 685 094 0946#
Virtual Minyanim
Shacharit (Sunday) -- 8:15 am
Shacharit (Monday--Friday) -- 7:00 am
Mincha followed by Maariv (Sunday--Thursday) -- 7:00 pm
Classes and Shiurim TODAY, Wednesday (4/1)
11:45 AM: Pondering the Parasha: Vayikra Edition with Rabbi Brander --WILL NOT MEET THIS WEEK
8 PM: Seder Leader Survival Guide: Tips for a Succesful Seder presented in partnership with Rabbi Brander and Rabbi Stu Grant. This is part 3 of Rabbi Brander's Pesach for Rookies and Returnees Series
**For the first part of this Zoom, Rabbi Brander will also be offering a Halachically valid creative alternative in order to share the seder experience with family/friends which should be a "game-changer" for many.
CLICK HERE to watch Rabbi Brander's first presentation on Pesach Made Easy: Preparing for Pesach in just TWO Days and join Rabbi Brander in touring our homes and discussing what needs to be done to get ready for Pesach including preparing one's home, kashering a kitchen for Pesach and more.
CLICK HERE to watch Rabbi Brander's second presentation on Why Is This Pesach Different From All Others and learn practically how the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting our Pesach including information about selling of the Chametz (Mechirat Chametz), about the Fast of the Firstborns, about Biyur Chametz (Burning of the Chametz), about Toveling Keilim and other contemporary situation related matters.
As we all continue to track carefully the latest news and recommendations regarding the COVID-19 virus, I would like to applaud the leadership of our local Bess Israel Mikveh for their ceaseless efforts to keep our mikveh open and operating safely.
As I shared last week, according to the CDC the coronavirus bacteria is not passed through chlorinated water. Our mikveh staff and shomeret continue to maintain proper ph and chlorine levels and spacing appointments 20 minutes apart to ensure all surfaces can be sanitized between each user. They continue to ask that all appointments be made 48 hours in advance in order to ensure proper spacing.
That said, in consultation with Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva University and Posek for the Orthodox Union, I am highly encouraging an additional safety measure for those using our local mikveh. While normally one refrains from showering immediately following immersion, in light of the current situation, I would highly recommend and encourage that "each woman shower immediately upon returning home from the Mikveh". This is not, God forbid, to suggest that our mikveh is not safe -- our mikveh continues to do everything and more to ensure the mikveh can to continue to operate safely -- rather this is just another instance where a Halakhic stringency of not showering is superseded by our ceaseless quest to protect our personal health and communal wellbeing.
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.
Zoom Info and Instructions Remember all Young Israel Zoom-based Meeting will have same log on information!!
To join Zoom online on your computer or smartphone go to: www.youngisraelwh.org/zoom
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 #.
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.
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
