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Plan for In-Person Services

Last updated November 3, 2022 at 3:15 PM

The Boards of KH and SZ have approved the following plan for in-person Shabbat morning services, in keeping with the principles we shared in June 2020. We continue to endeavor to be thoughtful about each aspect and phase of this plan, consistent with our conservative approach to risk. Details of the current plan are below. We welcome your questions and feedback at covid@kehilathadar.org.

Plan Summary

We hold Shabbat morning services and kids programming at Schechter Manhattan. 

  • All eligible participants ages 5+ must be fully vaccinated to attend services indoors (defined as two weeks past the second dose). All eligible participants ages 12+ must be up to date on their vaccinations, including booster doses. See this CDC page regarding the definitions of “fully vaccinated” and “up to date.”
  • As of September 25, 2022 (erev Rosh Hashanah), all children ages 6 months and up must be at least two weeks past their second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID vaccine in order to participate in indoor services and kids programming. Any child who receives the Pfizer vaccine must be fully vaccinated (two weeks past their third dose) by October 8.
  • Masks are optional for all attendees.
  • Registration is not required for services or babysitting.
  • Most seating at services is not distanced, but we will set aside a limited amount of distanced seating for those who prefer it.
  • We also hold Tot Shabbat and Junior Minyan at Schechter. Registration is not required.
  • Please do not attend if you feel sick, COVID or otherwise.

Health & Safety Policies

We rely on each member of the community to uphold the following safety guidelines at all of our in-person services and will enforce it if necessary. Anyone not adhering to these policies or following the instructions and reminders given will be asked to leave.

Vaccination

  • All eligible participants ages 5+ must be fully vaccinated to attend services indoors (defined as two weeks past the second dose). 
  • All eligible participants ages 12+ must be up to date on their vaccinations, including booster doses. 
    See this CDC page regarding the definitions of fully vaccinated and “up to date.”
  • As of September 25, 2022 (erev Rosh Hashanah), all children ages 6 months and up must be at least two weeks past their second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID vaccine in order to participate in indoor services and kids programming. Any child who receives the Pfizer vaccine must be fully vaccinated (two weeks past their third dose) by October 8.
  • People (and children in particular) who become newly eligible for vaccines and/or boosters are expected to get vaccinated as soon as is reasonably possible.

Masks

  • Masks are optional for all attendees.


Please do not attend if any of the following are true

  • You are sick, whether it’s suspected COVID or otherwise.
  • You have felt sick in the past two weeks.
  • You are required to quarantine under New York state or local laws, due to travel or exposure.

The COVID task force may make exemptions to the above based on consulting with a physician. 

Adjustments to the Space at Schechter

  • Most seating at services is not distanced, but we will set aside a limited amount of distanced seating for those who prefer it.
  • While the COVIDU-19 alert level is High, we plan to hold kiddush outdoors, weather permitting. 

Children

We are renting three classrooms at Schechter: one for babysitting, one for Junior Minyan, and one overflow room for adults who need to feed children, change them, etc. Children must either be in any of the services with a member of their household, be in babysitting, or be supervised by an adult in the additional classroom. Please do not congregate in the halls.

Babysitting

Babysitting is available for young children attending services. Advance registration is no longer required. Based on the guidance from our medical advisor, we do not require unvaccinated children to remain distanced while in babysitting.

The babysitter(s) will not do diapering, toileting, or feeding for children.

Children's Programming

We hold two children's services at Schechter.  Tot Shabbat services are geared toward kids ages 0–5 and will take place in a classroom at 10:30 AM. Junior Minyan is geared toward kids ages 5+ and will take place in a classroom at 11:00 AM. These spaces are accessible without entering the main service. Both children's services meet nearly every week. Check our calendar for the schedule.

Registration is not required for children’s programming. All those in attendance should be symptom free and in compliance with our attendance guidelines, including the vaccination requirements mentioned above. 
 

As mentioned above, we welcome and appreciate your thoughts. Please feel free to contact us at contact@kehilathadar.org and membership@sznyc.org.


The Kehilat Hadar Board
Emily Scharfman, Steven Melzer, Meir Schecter, Max Arad, Miri Pomerantz Dauber, Allison Kapusta, Aaron Kasman, Ashira Konigsburg, Stefan Krieger

The Shaare Zedek Board
Michael Firestone, Lianna Levine Reisner, Adin Rosenberg, Jeff Weinstein, Sara Marks, David Handelman, Harlan Levinson, Sharon Meiri Fox, Joshua Newman, Ronald Slusky

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784