News and Updates from the Community

July 8, 2020

Greetings Friends,

Two weeks ago we began a slow and calculated return to our building, with Shacharit services held on Mondays and Thursdays. We also mentioned the possibility of returning this Shabbat, Parashat Pinchas for at least a Shacharit Minyan.

• With so many of our weekday Shacharit regulars away and/or hesitant to return, convening the weekday minyan has not been easy. If you are able to join us, your presence would very much be appreciated. Please let us know if you would be able to join tomorrow morning. (It is a fast day, though we will be skipping the overwhelming majority of penitential prayers).

• We are in the process of readying the sanctuary for Shabbat morning services. While your RSVP is not absolutely required, we ask that you please let us know if you would be able to join us this Shabbat morning.

To be able to return safely, masks will be required and social-distance will be preserved. Attendance will be monitored and limited to 100 people (15% occupancy) who will be spread throughout the entire main sanctuary at individually marked seats. The social hall will be closed. Services will be shortened and Kiddush will be offered to-go. Hand sanitizer will be made available.

As previously explained, this cautiously optimistic decision was made with the advice of medical and health policy professionals who maintain that both mask-wearing and social distance go a long way in limiting the spread of disease.

We believe that as institutions, stores, and public venues start to open city-wide, it behooves us to be part of the conversation of return.

We hope that our community will be able to follow our requirements despite the perceived discomfort of masks and the coldness of social distance. Should occupancy prove unsustainable, either because our conditions aren’t sufficiently upheld or because there is a significant local spike in disease (God forbid), we will not hesitate to close.

In the meantime what can you do? Let us know that you plan on attending. Stay home if you are immunocompromised, not feeling well, or simply uncomfortable attending. Contact us with any concerns or with any specific medical needs. Contact us immediately if you attend synagogue and subsequently test positive or are exposed to someone who has tested positive. Pay your membership dues so that we can maintain the remarkable synagogue that you miss so terribly. Continue to attend our online classes. Work to grow our community despite our distancing and continue to look after one another.

Best,
Your friends on Sixth Street