covid19updates

My Dearest Friends,

It was such a pleasure to see so many of you on our 50^th Anniversary Zoom party Sunday night and my honor to share a short Yizkor Drasha with you last night as part of our virtual Communal Yizkor.

As we go into the last days of Pesach, I have tried to make our Yom Tov davening as accessible as possible by creating this detailed halakhic guide to davening at home as well as the recitation of Yizkor as it can be complex. The complete Yizkor service can be found in many siddurim and is available to download and print here and here. Please print these documents so they can help make our last days of yom tov more meaningful and manageable.

I would like to remind you to continue to daven for all those who are ill.  The world has lost so many special people including some of its dedicated first responders, revered rabbis and spiritual leaders to this terrible virus.  I, personally, have been so saddened by the many stories from NY/NJ of people fighting for their lives and many others who are mourning significant losses.  

We need to do all we can to be safe and to prevent the spread.  We, God willing, will have some wonderful weather and beautiful days over the end of chag and I remind you that if you are walking outdoors please maintain proper social distancing and please do not gather together in groups. Please remember that 6 feet is farther than you think and please be "machmir" on that measurement. Please remind your children when walking they must distance themselves from friends.  It would be wise before heading out to discuss with your children the need to NOT run and greet their friends they might see in the street.

Additionally, as painful as it is, there must not be any minyanim indoors or outdoors of any type. At the same time, experts say that children are the fastest spreaders of the virus, despite most not being symptomatic. For the sake of your family and of those in the community, please cease playdates immediately! 
 
It is critical that we remain vigilant and are NOT lulled into a false sense of security and we must not let down on our communal effort to practice physical distancing. The positive impact of our effort is not a reason to become lax; it is, in fact, the reason to continue these efforts and remain vigilant.

Our collective health and well-being are directly connected and intertwined. We can only continue to preserve our safety by cooperating together and uniting in observing the recommendations and guidelines our medical experts and poskim have outlined for us.  
  
Lastly and most importantly, if you (or a family member) have depression, anxiety, or any other mental health concern that might be exacerbated by the isolation of Yom Tov, please reach out to your therapist and me strategize about possible interventions.
 
For those struggling with potentially dangerous mental health challenges on Yom Tov and Shabbat, an anonymous support line has been set up by Amudim. The support line currently has over 60 volunteers answering phones from 8 AM to 11 PM EST. Calls that come in after-hours or that cannot be answered by available volunteers are transferred to a live 24/7 call center to be returned as quickly as possible. Staff members are monitoring all calls to ensure that urgent matters are replied to without delay, even overnight. Callers can reach out for help by dialing 888-7-AMUDIM, 888-726-8346 or 718-972-3000, with caller ID disabled on incoming calls to ensure complete confidentiality; and help is also available via email at support@amudim.org.
 
Given the severity of our times and under the guidance of Rabbi Mordechai Willig, my cell phone (561-271-4148) will be left on and monitored over Yom Tov. I am available for anyone who is feeling vulnerable or at risk. Please use my number strictly in cases of potential emergency or life-threatening circumstances.
 
Over Yom Tov, if there are major halakhic, potentially dangerous questions, I remain available and accessible.
 
Let us all daven for an end to this terrible pandemic, for the recovery of those afflicted with the virus, and for the safety and well-being of all those who struggle during these difficult times. 
 
Wishing you all a Chag Kasher, Bari, V'Sameach – a kosher, healthy and happy end of Pesach!
 
Rabbi Tuvia Brander
Mara D'Atra, Young Israel of West Hartford